News24 Sep 2010


New flat course promises much; Keitany, Xiaolin, Mutai, Rothlin the top names in Lisbon

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Mary Keitany breaks the World record in the 25Km with a 1:19:53 clocking in Berlin (© Victah Sailer/photorun.net)

The Vodafone Centennial Portugal Half Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, will celebrate its 11th edition this Sunday 26 September but the race also marks a new beginning for this competition which has attracted more than 15,000 runners this year.

The organisers of the race which starts on the Vasco da Gama Bridge have designed a new flat course with the same elevation (sea level) at start and finish.

The race is titled the ‘Centennial Portugal Half Marathon’, as Portugal is commemorating 100 years of its Republic (since 5 October 1910).

European Marathon champion, Switzerland’s Víktor Rothlin, is one of the standout names of the start list. The Swiss has a half marathon personal best of 62:16, and won the continental title at the full distance this summer following recovery from a double pulmonary embolism and surgery on his right heel in late 2009.

The 2007 World Marathon bronze medallist will face formidable opposition from Kenya’s Emmanuel Mutai (60:03) who was the 2009 World Marathon silver medallist and came third this year at the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon in the Portuguese capital, another IAAF Gold Label Road Race.

Fellow Kenyan Titus Masai (59:51) who was third in this year's Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, Ethiopian Tadese Tola (59:49), who finished ahead of him in that race in a PB of 59:49 and was the winner of this year’s Paris Marathon, and the Eritreans Jonas Kifle (59:30), the bronze medallist at 2005 World Half Marathon Championships, and Teklemariam Medhin (half marathon debut), the silver medallist at this year’s World Cross Country Championships, are the other stiffest opponents. However, we will also keep an eye on Tanzania’s Dickson Marwa (59:52) and Kenyan Francis Kiprop (60:17).

From Portugual, the greatest name is the former 1500m track specialist Rui Silva, Olympic and World Championship bronze medallist, who will have his second attempt on the roads after winning last year's Ovar Half Marathon in 65:35. Other likely home challengers are Rui Pedro Silva (62:42), 6th in this half marathon last year, and Hermano Ferreira (64:53).

Preparing for the IAAF / Sinopec World Half Marathon Championships which take place in Nanning, China, the organisers in Lisbon have managed to attract two Chinese runners to the women’s race: Zhu Xiaolin (1:10.07), who was fourth in the Beijing Olympic Games and 2007 World Championships marathons, and 18-year-old debutant Ding Changqin.

The undoubted star of the race though is Kenyan Mary Keitany (1:06.36), who is the World record holder for 25km (1:19:53) and the reigning World Half Marathon champion.

Keitany's Kenyan compatriots Lydia Cheromei (1:08:14), the 2004 World Half Marathon silver medallist, Jane Kiptoo (1:09:07), winner this year in Stramilano, and Alice Timbilili (68:56), this year’s Rome Half Marathon victor are the other favourites.

Portugal lines-up Anália Rosa (1:10:30), Mónica Rosa (1:14:35) and Ana Dias (1:10:38) as their opponents.

António Manuel Fernandes for the IAAF

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