Zhang Shujing takes the victory in Seoul (© AFP)
The 2009 edition of the Seoul International Marathon, the Dong-A Marathon on Sunday (15) will field a lot of fast runners for both men and women as usual. Especially the men’s field looks good enough to duplicate the high standard race from last season.
The Seoul International Marathon is an IAAF Silver Label Road Race.
Mbote eyeing return to victor’s stand
In 2008 five runners were almost within a minute of Kenyan Sammy Korir’s 2:07:32 winning time, the second fastest in the history of this marathon behind Gert Thys’ (RSA) course record 2:07:06 from 2004. Korir is not among the competitors to defend his title, but fellow Kenyan Jason Mbote, who was second last year in a 2:07:37 personal best and was the winner of this race in 2006, will start the race. Also among the starters are Charles Kibiwott (KEN), who was fifth here last year in 2:08:33 and Korean marathon icon, 38-year-old Lee Bong-Ju who set a season’s best 2:12:27 in the 2008 race. In 2007 Lee was a shock winner in a fast 2:08:04.
But there are plenty more than the returning athletes competing this time. Three sub-2:07 runners are in the race including 30-year-old Robert Cheboror (KEN), who has a best of 2:06:23 from the 2004 Amsterdam Marathon. Also from Kenya, Wilson Onsare, who has a best of 2:13:46 this season and has run 2:06:47 in 2003 and Moses Arusei who was second in Paris last year with a 2:06:50 personal best have been entered in the race.
Thirty-year-old Kenyan James Rotich, who has raced in Korea before and has a 2:07:12 personal best from 2007 and 2:07:50 runner from last season, Geoffrey Mutai, will be among the contenders for the top places. Paul Biwott (KEN), who ran 2:08:53 in Vienna last season will also be looking for his first major win in his third marathon in Korea. Last year Biwott was third in the Joon Ang marathon in Seoul in November clocking 2:09:29.
Chinese looking to extend victory streak to five
In the women’s race Chinese athletes will be looking for the fifth successive win. The title in the race has gone to China four times in a row now from 2005-2008. Last year’s winner, Zhang Shujing, will be in the race defending her 2008 title which she won in 2:26:11. The 30-year-old, who also won the race in 2003 clocking a fast 2:23:18 and who will be running for the fifth time here, will have to battle fierce competition from fellow Chinese runners. The course record holder Zhou Chunxiu (2:19:51 in 2006) is not competing this time, but 2007 winner Wei Yanan, who clocked 2:23:12 personal best in that race is here.
The biggest favourite however will not be either of these two previous winners but just 19-year-old Zhang Yingying. Zhang, who set the world junior best in 2008 Xiamen marathon winning the National title in 2:22:38 has already run one marathon this season. She finished second in the National Championships in Xiamen in just 2:32:57, but will surely be looking for a faster time in this race.
Other pre-race favourites include Romanian Nuta Olaru who already has a fast 2:27:25 time from Houston in January and has a personal best 2:24:33 from 2004. Ethiopian Robe Tola will be challenging the Chinese too. Robe has won a couple of big marathons in Germany including a 2:24:35 personal best in Hamburg 2006 and the 2008 Köln Marathon where she set a season’s best 2:29:39. The best of the home runners is Lee Eun-Jung, who is the previous non-Chinese winner of the race. Lee won the Dong-A marathon in 2:26:17 which is still a personal best for the 27-year-old. Kathy Butler (GBR) has also been entered to her first marathon since November 2007 when she could not finish in Tokyo, Japan. The 35-year-old former Canadian has a best of 2:28:39 from Chicago 2006.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
