Liza Hunter-Galvan lifts marathon

The women's field at the 48th Lion Foundation Rotorua Marathon has received a late boost with the announcement that former New Zealand Olympic games marathon representative Liza Hunter-Galvan will be lining up for the run on Saturday.

With what looks like the absence of the 2010 and 2011 champion Johanna Ottosson due to injury, Hunter-Galvan's presence will bring some class to the women's field.

The 42-year-old New Zealander who lives in Texas, with her four children, ran her first marathon in 1993 and has gone on to represent New Zealand in the marathon at two Olympic Games - 2004 in Athens and 2008 in Beijing.

However, she spent 2009 and 2010, serving a two-year ban after testing positive for the banned performance-enhancing substance EPO following the Beijing Games.

She returned to running in 2011 and is out to prove herself again.

Since returning she has won the 2011 Christchurch Marathon and San Antonio Rock n Roll Marathon in times of 2h 45m.

She is coming to Rotorua on the back of a win at the 2012 Statesman Capitol 10km Road race in Austin, Texas.

Hunter-Galvan is looking forward to the event as she has never raced in Rotorua.

"I had entered the 'rained out' edition in 1999, so to now have the opportunity to run the Rotorua Marathon - an event I watched my Dad [compete in] about 30 years ago - is fantastic," Hunter-Galvan said.

You can see Hunter-Galvan along with more than 4000 participants in the Lion Foundation Rotorua Marathon, Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust Half Marathon, ASICS Marathon (10.5km) and 5.5k Fun Run.

The race is on Saturday,April 28.