Kenya’s Samuel Wanjiru wins the 2009 Half Marathon in Granollers, Spain (© R.Ferrandis/El 9 Nou)
Kenyan road racing stars Samuel Wanjiru, Martin Lel and Robert Cheruiyot are just a few of the top names who will gather in the Portuguese capital for Sunday’s (22) EDP-Lisbon Half Marathon.
Last year, the EDP – Lisbon Half Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, made some modifications to the elite athletes’ course. Traditionally, the event begins on the April 25 bridge crossing the Tagus river, with an elevation drop to severe for World record purposes. So in 2008, the elite runners faced a new course which didn’t include the bridge, starting instead in a small town near the finish line with that same altitude at sea level. With the course adjustment came a US$ 50,000 World record bonus.
This year organizers of the race, which has witnessed 23 sub-60 minute performances in its history, is looking to carry on that tradition with four aces in the men’s starting line-up: the 2008 Olympic Marathon champion, and Half Marathon World record holder, Wanjiru (58:35); three-time London Marathon and two-time New York Marathon winner Lel (1:00:49); Cheruyiot (1:00:06), a four-time Boston Marathon winner; and Moroccan Jaouab Gharib (59:56), the Olympic Marathon silver medalist, and former World champion.
But the quality field doesn’t end here. A number of 60-minute men are expected on the start line, including Kenyans Elijah Keitany (1:00:10), winner of 2009 Ostia Half Marathon; Emmanuel Mutai (1:00:49); Augustine Togon (1:00:52); Silas Sang (1:00:34) winner of the Portugal Half Marathon last September; David Kemboi (1:00:44); and another Moroccan, Falil Abdullah (1:00:43).
Other runners looking to join the sub-60 clud include Kenyans Joshua Chelanga (1:01:01) and Felix Limo (1:01:15).
The Portuguese field includes some veterans such as Paulo Gomes, former IAAF World Cross Country bronze medallist; Luís Jesus, the national record holder over the distance; and rising stars such as Fernando Silva, twice national cross country champion, Ricardo Ribas and Hermano Ferreira. But for now, all of them are far from the African elite.
Rounding out the field at ten more runners with sub-1:03 credentials.
Goucher and Prokopcuka lead the women’s chase
In the women pack, two front names are given: American Kara Goucher (1:06:57), the 10,000m World championships bronze medallist who was third at last year’s New York City Marathon; and Latvia’s Jelena Prokopcuka (1:08:43), the 2005 and 2006 New York champion and the winner of 2009 Paris Half Marathon.
Others to watch include Kenya’s Alice Timbilili (pb 1:08:49), a former 3000m World junior champion; Rahab Ndung’u (1:14:12), third at this year’s Gualajara Half Marathon; and Leah Malot (1:09:43), sixth in last year’s Frankfurt Marathon.
The Ethiopians are represented by Mireth Tadesse (1:11:42), seond at the 2009 Ribarroja Half Marathon; Erba Tiki Gelana (1:10:22); Tigist Tufa (1:10:26), third this year in the Marrakesh Half Marathon; and Ayanu Workitu (1:16:33), winner of the 2009 Egmond aan Zee Half.
Monica Rosa (1:13.09) and Helena Sampaio (1:10.15), athletes from the organising club, lead the Portuguese field.
More than 5000 runners are expected in the Half Marathon race, and more than 25,000 are expected in the 8 km fun run (crossing the bridge), and everybody expects a great sunny day.
António Manuel Fernandes for the IAAF
