Previews27 May 2011


Faster course awaits Merga in Ottawa - PREVIEW

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Deriba Merga takes down a strong field in the RAK Half (© Victah Sailer)

A faster more scenic course awaits roughly 40,000 runners as they arrive for the ING Ottawa Race Weekend (28/29 May) for the IAAF Silver Label Ottawa 10km and marathon events. And, that's good news for Deriba Merga.


10km


Two years Merga arrived in the Canadian capital as the newly crowned Boston Marathon champion intent on beating Haile Gebrselassie's then World 10k record of 27:02. Organisers had enlisted the services of Kenya's Boaz Cheboiywo for the pacemaking duties but even at 2km Merga was impatient, literally tapping his accomplice on the arm to make him go faster.


Alone,  from that point forward,  the Ethiopian wound up with a personal best and a course record of 27:24 leaving his manager, Hussein Makke, extremely agitated at the finish complaining about the ineffective pace making. Cheboiyo stayed in the race and finished 2nd.


Merga is on fire this season as his results at the Ras Al Khamaih half marathon amply demonstrate. Passing 10k in 27:31 he ran 59:25 for the distance. The World record might be a bit of a stretch as it is now 26:44 set a year ago by Leonard Patrick Komon of Kenya and organisers haven't hired a pacemaker for him. Nor have they offered a World record bonus.  Regardless, Merga is one tough front runner.


Canadian Olympic marathon hopefuls Eric Gillis and Simon Bairu will use the 10km as a final spring test before upping their mileage for October's Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront marathon. Gillis, a 2008 Olympian over 10,000m ran 2:12: 08 in last year's Toronto marathon but needs to beat 2:11:29 to qualify for the London Olympics. Although he has struggled with a cold this week he ran 28:08 at the Toronto Sporting Life 10k last month.


"Everything I have done has been focused on the Ottawa 10k this spring," Gillis admits. "It's always a great field in Ottawa so although I have had a cold,  which shot my confidence a bit,  I will go out there to try and surprise myself. In June I will start my preparations for the marathon."


Bairu, who smashed the Canadian 10,000m record with a time of 27:23.63 a year ago has his sights set on Olympic marathon qualification too. After dropping out of the New York City marathon at 21 miles he has refocused. The Ottawa 10k will offer a glimpse into his fitness.


"Things are going really well," says Bairu, "This is a test of how far my strength has come and to see where I am. It's a fast course so I am looking to do some good things. Not really sure what to expect. We're in the middle of an altitude training camp. I have just spent two and a half weeks at Flagstaff and right after this race I will go back there for another two and a half weeks."


Marathon


The marathon, which is set for Sunday 29 May 'sold out' earlier than ever this year with 9500 entrants, promises an entertaining contest with two of Merga's training partners favourites in the men's and women's races.


The women's race is blessed with the appearance of Kebebush Haile who finished 2nd in the 2010 Rome Marathon (2:25:31) and 3rd earlier this year in 2:27:39. The Ethiopian will face her compatriots Goitetom Haftu, second in this year’s Rome marathon (2:26:21) and Elfenesh Alemu. The latter ran 2:24:29 in the 2001 London Marathon. Although she is now 35 years old she has some life in her.  In January she ran 2:29:41 at the Mumbai Marathon to finish 3rd an impressive performance considering she missed most of last year with an injury.


Dino Sefir marks his debut at the full marathon distance. The Ethiopian will turn 23 on Saturday and after running a 59:43 half marathon and finishing an impressive 12th at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships already this year could give himself a fine birthday gift with victory. Hussein Makke is not taking any chances and has arranged for two of his athletes, Abdisa Sorri who also trains in Addis based group under coach Haji Adilo, and Kenyan Festus Langat, to handle pack-making duties.


Paul Gains for the IAAF


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