Ethiopia Athletics: Berhane Adere to defend Dubai Marathon title
Dubai: Berhane Adere of Ethiopia, who broke the course record to win in 2:22.42, wants to set another mark and emerge as the winner, when the 12th Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon kicks off here tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the absence of triple Dubai winner and world marathon record holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia has left the men’s race wide open.
Women’s Category
Thirty-seven-year-old Berhane Adere of Ethiopia has defied her age to clinch a place among the strong contenders. Speaking to Gulf News, Adere, who won the Dubai Marathon in 2008, said: “I have practiced very hard in Addis Ababa hoping to win here again. I feel very good this time.”
Adere won with a timing of 2:22.42sec last time, but her best was in the 2006 Chicago Marathon which she won in 2:20:42sec.
“This is my third visit to Dubai and hopefully I can win the title again. I feel I am fit enough to do it again,” added Adere, who won the gold medal in the 10,000m in the 2003 World Championship.
Though injuries had pulled her back, she finished 14th in the London Marathon with a timing of 2:33.46sec.
In February last year she ran 67:32sec to win the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon in New Orleans and went on to also win the Great North Run in North of England in 68.49sec.
Another strong contender is Ethiopia’s Askale Magarsa, who won the Dubai Marathon in 2007.
Men’s Category
Among the men’s runners, the spotlight will be on Eliud Kiptanui of Kenya. He has proved he is in great form by emerging as the Prague Marathon winner. His personal best of 2:05:39sec makes him a strong favourite.
Giving a strong chase to Kiptanui will be Chala Dechase of Ethiopia, who gave Gebrselassie a good run last year to finish second at 2:06:33sec.
Gebrselassie, however, emerged the winner crossing the finish line 24 seconds ahead of Dechase.
Incidentally, Dechase showed glimpses of his form and ability to clinch a third place in the Amsterdam Marathon with a timing of 2:07:23sec in October last year.
Ethiopia’s Eshetu Wendimu, who finished third last year with a timing of 2:06:46sec, is also among those who have returned this year. He was one of Gebrselassie’s favourite pacemakers. For the past two years he has finished third in Dubai and will surely look to better that record.
Source: The Gulf News
