2:08:32 course record for Iaroslav Musinschi in Dusseldorf (© Victah Sailer/photorun.net)
The 2010 Gyeongju International Marathon, an IAAF Silver Label Road Race, features a field with many newcomers to Korean marathons. Unlike many previous Korean races, very few athletes of the topped ranked runners from previous editions are returning to compete on Sunday morning (17).
All of the last three races 2007-2009 have featured a winning time faster than 2:10, so no doubt there is a possibility for a fast race this time too. From last year’s race only third placed Tesfaye Eticha of Ethiopia and 10th place finisher, Russian Pavel Teplykh are in the race.
Eticha should be looking for a better finish this year although his personal best 2:10:14 is from way back in 2002. But the 36-year-old Ethiopian clocked 2:10:22 in April 2009 and will be racing in his first marathon of 2010 here.
The number one favourite should be 34-year-old Iaroslav Musinschi of Moldova, a former steeplechaser. Musinschi won the Düsseldorf Marathon in May clocking a 2:08:32 national record, which is the fastest time in the field during this season.
Dejene Yirdaw of Ethiopia has a personal best set in Korea, from when he finished second in the 2009 Seoul Marathon in 2:08:30 and has run a promising 2:10:50 earlier this season. The fastest personal best of all athletes here is 2:07:50 by Kenyan Jimmy Muindi from 2005, but his previous decent marathon result was four years ago in 2006 (2:07:51 in Chicago).
The field also includes several relatively low key Kenyan names, of which anyone of course could rise to world fame in this race. Jacob Kipkorir Chesire has a best time of 2:10:09 in 2009 and Ben Kiplomo Mutai ran 2:11:01 also in 2009.
A few further European hopes are also running. Portuguese Luis Feiteira has a best of 2:11:57 from 2009 and Yuriy Hychun of Ukraine ran 2:10:59 in 2008.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
