Haile Gebrselassie running in the ING Amsterdam Marathon (© Jiro Mochozucki-Photo Run)
Haile Gebrselassie, who a month ago set a 2:06:20 Ethiopian marathon record on the streets of Amsterdam, the world’s fastest time of this year, is returning to competition this Sunday 20 November to make up for two ‘disappointments’.
The 32-year-old Ethiopian, along with Eritrea’s Zersenay Tadesse, who ran an all-time unsurpassed half marathon clocking of 59:05 in September, are the major draws in the Zevenheuvelenloop 15km which takes place in Nijmegen, The Netherlands this weekend.
Gebrselassie is no stranger to ‘The Seven Hills’ race having run the 15km twice before, winning in 1994 (43:00), and in 2001, finishing second behind Felix Limo’s World record of 41:29, some 60 metres adrift of the Kenyan winner in a time of 41:38. Even though Gebrselassie’s time also smashed Paul Tergat’s previous World record (42:04 – 1998), it is a personal best performance which Gebrselassie was disappointed in, and is determined to consign to history.
Only an athlete with the career magnitude of Gebrselassie could ever attempt to carry off the word ‘disappointed’ in the context of such a time for 15km, or for that matter as a description for his recent national marathon record in Amsterdam but that is exactly what sums up the feelings of ‘The Emperor’.
Though it is only four weeks since his World record attempt in Amsterdam, Gebrselassie seriously believes his legs are “fresh” for the challenge in Nijmegen.
“Not long after crossing the finish line (in Amsterdam), Haile told us how fresh he was feeling,” confirmed Michel Boeting of Global Sports Communication, the company who manages him. “We thought it was probably Haile’s own way of covering over his upset at missing the record but no, within a week he was back in training, and a few days later he was calling our office asking us to find him a race.”
With Paula Radcliffe’s withdrawal from Nijmegen (she is recovering from illness), suddenly the Nijmegen race’s budget for a ‘star athlete’ became available and Gebrselassie’s search was quickly over.
“Haile didn’t suffer so much in Amsterdam…he approached the marathon like a 10,000m, on speed rather than endurance, and his body seems to have quickly recovered, and he is keen to race but more especially to make up for 2001,” confirmed Boeting. “However, whatever maybe in Haile’s mind, the goal of the race is not the (World) record.”
Considering that in 2001 Limo ran the last 10km in 27:15, whoever makes an attempt on the World 15km record is going to have to be at the top of their game to succeed. Perhaps then the fitness of Tadesse will be the key to the pace this weekend, as if both runners are in good shape they can help motivate each other to pick up the tempo.
Also, running are two World silver medallists from this year, Christopher Isegwe of Tanzania, who was runner-up in the Marathon in Helsinki at the World Championships, and Bernard Kipyego of Kenya, who finished second in the Junior race at the World Cross Country Championships.
Chris Turner for the IAAF
