Previews26 Nov 2011


Defending champions return to head Beirut’s elite fields - PREVIEW

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Etaferehu Tarekegn takes the victory in Beirut (© Beirut Marathon Association)

Beirut, LebanonKenya’s UNICEF Peace Ambassador Tegla Loroupe, the marathon running legend, was the honoured guest of Friday’s (25) press conference in the Lebanese capital at which the top names of Sunday’s (27) BLOM Beirut Marathon 2011 were presented.


The BLOM Beirut Marathon 2011 is an IAAF Bronze Label Road Race.


The elite line-up for the men’s race which will be paced by Festus Langat (KEN) and Hasen Aman (ETH) is headed by Kenyan James Rotich who has a personal best of 2:07:12 from his fourth place finish in the 2007 Amsterdam Marathon and has another three sub-2:10 finishes to his career credit. The 32-year-old was also the 2010 winner of the Cologne Marathon (2:10:22).


Rotich’s main challenger should statistically be 24-year-old Solomon Molla of Ethiopia who carries the impressive credentials as the 2008 winner of the Joongang Seoul Marathon in 2:08:46.


However, returning to defend his title is another Ethiopian Mohammed Temam, who can boast a 2:12:45 (PB) third place finish in this year’s Verona marathon and so possesses current top form which his principal challengers have not yet exhibited in 2011.


Throw in France's 28 year-old Larbi Es Raidi (PB 2:10:08) and three other good Kenyans Julius Kipkorir (PB 2:11:26) Sammy Malakwen (PB 2:12:39), and Stephen Chepkopol (PB 2:16:09), and the men’s race is going to be a quality affair.


The women’s race also features the defending champion, Ethiopia’s Etaferahu Tarekegne (PB 2:34:05) but she’ll face stiff opposition from Diana Lobacevske (2:28:03) of Lithuania, who was second in Carpi last year and this summer finished 25th at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu. They will be led off by Abdulkadir Danko (ETH) who is the official pacemaker.


Also look out for France’s Svetlana Pretot (2:35:28) and Ethiopia’s Measo Sisay (2:36:51).


Chris Turner for the IAAF


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