London Marathon 2008: Elite Men’s Race Preview
Posted April 11th, 2008 at 2:00 PM by Jared Markowitz
Section: News & Results, Marathons
Even with the upcoming Beijing Olympics, the Flora London Marathon stands out as the most competitive distance race of the year. The 2008 edition features a mixture of accomplished marathon veterans and talented newcomers, all vying for spots on the prestigious London podium.
Leading the way will be defending London and New York champ Martin Lel. Lel won both of his titles last year in sprint finishes over Abderrahim Goumri, who will also be back for more. Lel’s London buildup has gone well, as he moved his camp to Namibia to train with 2007 Boston champ Robert Cheruiyot and avoid the recent violence in Kenya. He should once again be the favorite, although Goumri’s track pedigree (12:50 for 5k) will give him a chance if it again comes down to the last quarter mile.
Three other Kenyans should also be near the front: current World Champion Luke Kibet, half-marathon World Record holder and Fukuoka champ Sammy Wanjiru and former Berlin, Chicago, and London champ Felix Limo. Wanjiru probably brings the greatest expectations of these three, as the 21 year old phenom ran 2:06:39 in his marathon debut last year and is thought to be the future of the marathon. Kibet’s preparations were somewhat hindered by a head injury incurred during a riot in Kenya while Limo has been overlooked for no good reason. Look for all of these men to be in the race until the end, vying for both the London title and the coveted spots on the Kenyan Olympic team.
The other headliner in the race is, of course, American prodigy Ryan Hall. The California native is the American record holder in the half marathon, placed seventh in London last year (2:08:24) and won the U.S. Olympic Trials convincingly in November. As chronicled on thefinalsprint.com Hall believes himself to be fitter than ever and is going for the win. Hall has received a lot of media attention in London and will carry America’s hopes in both this race and the upcoming Olympic Games.
Besides the men mentioned above there are four more competitors with a realistic shot at making the London podium. Foremost among them is South African Hendrick Ramaala, who was fifth in this race last year and third in New York last fall. The 36-year-old Ramaala has worked more on his track speed this year and believes himself ready for another potential sprint finish. Another minor underdog is Italy’s Stefano Baldini, the defending Olympic champion. Baldini is now 37 years old and is focused primarily on defending his Olympic title this year, but should still be a factor. Finally, Emmanual Mutai and Deriba Merga both sport sub-2:07 personal bests but have been somewhat overlooked in the incredibly accomplished London field.
Looking at the talent assembled and knowing that the course is flat and fast, we can expect both blistering times and fierce competition in Sunday’s Flora London Marathon. The field is so strong that it is impossible to guess who will come out on top, but whoever it is will have to distinguish themselves from one of the deepest marathon fields in history.
***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***
Tags: 2008 london marathon, Abderrahim Goumri, deriba merga, elite men, elite mens field, Emmanual Mutai, Felix Limo, flora london marathon, Hendrick Ramaala, London Marathon, London marathon preview, london2008, london2008news, luke kibet, marathon coverage, marathon preview, Martin Lel, race coverage, racing news, Robert Cheruiyot, Ryan Hall, Sammy Wanjiru, Stefano Baldini
Like what you see? Subscribe to our feed!
The Final Sprint