Yusuf Songoka takes the victory at the Daegu International Marathon (© Organisers)
The 2011 DongA Ilbo Gyeongju International Marathon –IAAF Silver Label Road Race – in Korea has everything set up for another fast men’s race for the Sunday morning (16). The race starting and ending at the Hwangsung Civic Stadium, has produced good results lately and although none of the top three finishers for either 2009 or 2010 are in the race, there are several capable runners entered this year too.
Ethiopian runners have captured the last titles with Yemane Adhane winning in 2009 clocking 2:08:52 and Yirdaw Dejene last year in 2:09:13 leading two other runners under 2 hours and 10 minutes.
There might well be a change in the nationality of the winner this time. The fastest runner in the field in recent history is Kenyan Sylvester Teimet, who clocked his personal best 2:06:49 winning in Seoul in March 2010. The 27-year-old also started the 2011 version of the Seoul Marathon in March, but did not finish this time. The best time this year belongs to fellow Kenyan Yusuf Songoka, who has also been successful in Korea before. The 32-year-old clocked a personal best 2:08:08 winning in Daegu in April.
There is a home favourite in the race too with just 21-year-old Jeong Jin-Hyeong looking for another fast time. The youngster finished second in Seoul in March in a fast 2:09:28 personal best in only his fifth marathon. Jeong also represented Korea in the Daegu World Championships finishing in 23rd place.
Several other runners are in line to make a leap to the world top. These include 33-year-old Russian Oleg Kulkov, who equaled his personal best 2:10:13 in Seoul in March in third place. 26-year-old Felix Keny was fifth in Daegu in April in 2:09:25 and has a much faster PB 2:07:36 set in Barcelona 2010.
Among further podium contenders are 2011 Taiyuan winner (2:10:08) Kenyan Michael Kimani, Ethiopian Negari Terfa, winner of the 2011 San Diego Marathon (2:11:18) and 2011 Milano winner Solomon Bushendich of Kenya (2:10:38).
The women’s race will be all Korean, last year Chung Yun-Hee emerged as the winner in 2:32:09.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
