Gilbert Koech on the River Elbe ahead of the 2008 Morgenpost Dresden Marathon (© Victah Sailer)
Both course records are under threat in this Sunday’s 10th Morgenpost Dresden Marathon (19 Oct) in which two runners from Tanzania are the favourites: Phaustin Baha Sulle and Fabiola John.
In the men’s race there is plenty of opposition from Kenyan runners, who will make it difficult for the 2000 World Half Marathon silver medallist. Overall the event is expected to have a field of around 7000 runners, among them will be athletes covering the half marathon and the 10k distance as well.
The start and finish of the race are near the Semper Opera House. The course is flat and suitable for much faster times than seen until now. In contrast to a year ago, when runners had to fight against heavy rain in almost freezing conditions, the weather forecast for Sunday suggests ideal conditions.
Sulle is by far the fastest runner in the field. The 26-year-old has a personal best of 2:10:08. The planned time for the half marathon on Sunday is between 65:30 and 66 minutes, a pace never seen before in the history of the event and which suggests that the course record could be broken by a huge margin. So far it stands at 2:15:26 from Joseph Talam (Kenya) in 2006.
Among Sulle’s strongest rivals is Kenyan Gilbert Koech, who has a personal best of 2:13:45. He is the winner of the Las Vegas Marathon in 2005. But Koech then suffered of a toe injury which also affected his hamstring, causing problems for a longer time. While he was unable to compete he coached his wife Edna Kiplagat, who then won a number of road races in the USA in 2007. Three other Kenyans are in with a chance on Sunday: Pharis Kimani, who won the Kassel Marathon this year with 2:15:36, Edwin Yano (personal best: 2:16:10) and Emmanuel Lagat (2:16:24).
In the women’s race Tanzania’s Fabiola John is the favourite. So far the 23-year-old has a personal best of 2:34:41 from Edinburgh 2005, where she was second. Last Sunday she ran an easy 10k race in Coesfeld, Germany, winning comfortably in 34:02.
With help of a pacemaker the half marathon target time on Sunday is 1:17. This could guide the runners to a course record, which currently stands at 2:35:11 from Aniela Nikiel (Poland) in 2003.
John’s strongest opponent will most likely be Remalda Kergyte. The 23-year-old Lithuanian had been second in Dresden in 2006 and 2007. She improved her personal best to 2:40:54 when finishing fifth in a warm Düsseldorf Marathon this spring. Kergyte will be eager to go well under 2:40 at the Morgenpost Dresden Marathon.
Jörg Wenig for the IAAF
