Ethiopian Dire Tune winning the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon (© Victah Sailer)
Ras Al Khaimah, UAEDefending champion Dire Tune of Ethiopia will lead a field of 13 sub-1:10 half marathoners at Friday’s (19) RAK Half Marathon.
World record pace requested
Last year, Tune clocked a course and national record of 1:07:18 at this IAAF Silver Label Road Race, and this year is hoping to go considerably faster. Licking her wounds after a rare defeat in the recent Zayed Half in Abu Dhabi, Tune says that she is in terrific form and her coach is asking for pacers to go at World Record schedule to challenge the 1:06:25 performance set by Lornah Kiplagat at the 2007 World Championships in Udine, Italy.
Tune will, however, have her hands full this time. Turkey's Elvan Abeylegesse, a World and Olympic medallist on the track, makes her Half Marathon debut here and is very happy at the prospect of pacers going at record pace. She is a proven winner, very aggressive and not scared to take the race by the scruff of the neck if she's in the right shape.
Aselefech Mergia of Ethiopia, who was second in 2009, cannot be discounted. The former middle distance runner has a huge kick in her armoury and if she is still in contention in the late stages, you can expect to see fireworks! Her endurance is solid - she was third in the Marathon at last year's World championships and was the last person to beat World Half Marathon champion Mary Keitany on the roads in the Bangalore 10km last season.
Kenyan-born Dutch star Hilda Kibet knows what is needed at this level. She is cousin of World Record holder Kiplagat and has been training with her in Iten, Kenya, and reports are that she is in fine shape. The ever smiling European will not be intimidated by the opposition having defeated most of them over the past few years on both the track and Cross Country.
Kenya's challenge will be led by World Championship 4th placer Caroline Cheptanui, a renowned front runner also with a great Marathon time to her credit. She will lead the charge to try to regain the ladies' title last won by Salina Kosgei a couple of years ago. All in all, no less than 13 of the elite women on the line have a personal best time of less than 70 minutes, making it one of the strongest fields ever in a women’s Half Marathon.
Greg Fairlie (organisers) for the IAAF
World record pace requested
Last year, Tune clocked a course and national record of 1:07:18 at this IAAF Silver Label Road Race, and this year is hoping to go considerably faster. Licking her wounds after a rare defeat in the recent Zayed Half in Abu Dhabi, Tune says that she is in terrific form and her coach is asking for pacers to go at World Record schedule to challenge the 1:06:25 performance set by Lornah Kiplagat at the 2007 World Championships in Udine, Italy.
Tune will, however, have her hands full this time. Turkey's Elvan Abeylegesse, a World and Olympic medallist on the track, makes her Half Marathon debut here and is very happy at the prospect of pacers going at record pace. She is a proven winner, very aggressive and not scared to take the race by the scruff of the neck if she's in the right shape.
Aselefech Mergia of Ethiopia, who was second in 2009, cannot be discounted. The former middle distance runner has a huge kick in her armoury and if she is still in contention in the late stages, you can expect to see fireworks! Her endurance is solid - she was third in the Marathon at last year's World championships and was the last person to beat World Half Marathon champion Mary Keitany on the roads in the Bangalore 10km last season.
Kenyan-born Dutch star Hilda Kibet knows what is needed at this level. She is cousin of World Record holder Kiplagat and has been training with her in Iten, Kenya, and reports are that she is in fine shape. The ever smiling European will not be intimidated by the opposition having defeated most of them over the past few years on both the track and Cross Country.
Kenya's challenge will be led by World Championship 4th placer Caroline Cheptanui, a renowned front runner also with a great Marathon time to her credit. She will lead the charge to try to regain the ladies' title last won by Salina Kosgei a couple of years ago. All in all, no less than 13 of the elite women on the line have a personal best time of less than 70 minutes, making it one of the strongest fields ever in a women’s Half Marathon.
Greg Fairlie (organisers) for the IAAF
