News30 Sep 2010


Dita and Rothlin line-up for a Great Run in Portsmouth

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Constantina Tomescu-Dita celebrates her Olympic marathon victory (© Getty Images)

Romania’s Olympic Marathon champion Constantina Dita and Switzerland’s European Marathon title holder Viktor Rothlin, will line up for the 21st staging of the Bupa Great South Run in Portsmouth, UK, on 24 October, in which a record 23,000 competitors will be taking part.

The Bupa Great South Run is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race.

Dita, the oldest woman ever to win the Olympic marathon, two years ago in Beijing, is now getting down to serious preparation for her bid to retain her crown at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

"Of course, as I get older, a few things become a little harder, but age means nothing in marathon running.  I'm determined to compete and defend my title in London," said the 40-year-old Romanian.

"Races such as the Bupa Great North Run, and now a 10 miler, are the sort of distances which help you prepare, and it's time to start as the next Olympics are coming around pretty quickly."

Dita flew in at short notice from her home in Boulder, USA, to compete at the recent Bupa Great North Run, but will be an early arrival in Portsmouth.

Rothlin, a superb winner of the European Championships title in Barcelona earlier this year, will compete in only his third race since that victory.  Switzerland's 2007 World Championships bronze medallist returned to action in September, when he competed on home soil at the Greifenseelauf half marathon in Uster, and last weekend ran the half marathon in Lisbon, Portugal.  He plans to be in razor sharp shape for his appearance at the Bupa Great South Run.

Nicola Hedley (organisers) for the IAAF

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