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Lead Stories: Sunday, September 7, 2008

Wanjiru Surges to Olympic Marathon Title

Posted August 24th, 2008 at 9:05 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics

Like Usain Bolt in the 100 and 200 meters,
marathoner Sammy Wanjiru blew away the field and the Olympic record here today, surging away from a stacked field to win Kenya’s first ever Olympic Marathon gold medal. Just 21 years-old, Wanjiru won his
second marathon in three starts, getting under Carlos Lopes’s 1984 Games record by nearly three minutes. Unfazed by a blazing sun, he recorded a finish time which would win nearly any cool weather marathon in the spring or fall: 2:06:30.

“The best guy won today,” said 2004 ING New York City Marathon champion Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa. “He runs without fear.”

Wanjiru beat up on the field right from the opening gun. There would be no dawdling pace at the start of this marathon, not like so many other major championships in the past. Wanjiru and teammates Martin Lel and Luke Kibet got some unexpected assistance from the Eritreans Yared Asmerom and Yonas Kifle, and the pace was hot in the opening kilometers. The first 5 km went down in 14:52, a 2:05:28 marathon finish pace, dramatically faster than anyone had expected.
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Gebrselassie Half-Way at Dubai Marathon in 1:01:27

Posted January 17th, 2008 at 11:34 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Pat Butcher reports that Haile Gebrselassie has hit the half-way mark at the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon in 1:01:27. He hit the half in 1:02:29 in Berlin last September when he set his 2:04:26 world record.

More later…

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Gebrselassie Hoping for Perfect Race in Dubai

Posted January 16th, 2008 at 8:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Setting a world record is never easy, but it’s particularly difficult in the marathon. Not only must an athlete spend three to four injury-free months training for a single competitive effort, he must have near-perfect conditions: a flat course, excellent pacemaking, ideal weather, and a well-marked and measured course. A little luck doesn’t hurt, either.

Heading into Friday’s Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon,
Haile Gebrselassie is hoping that all of these factors will line up in his favor so he can break his own world standard of 2:04:26 set in Berlin last September. In short, he’s looking for the perfect race.

“The top priority is not the money,” Gebrselassie said referring to the $1 million bonus for a new world record race organizers have on offer. “It’s the race. But the marathon is not an easy event, you cannot predict. Everything is perfect, I hope it will be more perfect for the race.”
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Thrilling Finishes & Record- Breaking Performances Help World Marathon Majors Usher in Brand New Era

Posted December 12th, 2007 at 12:15 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Marathons

World, national and course records, thrilling finishes, more than 300,000 participants, and a championship race that went down to the final day highlighted the inaugural 2006-2007 World Marathon Majors Series, and ushered in a brand new era of growth and excitement in the sport.

After a six month break, the excitement will continue at the 2008 Flora London Marathon on April 13, followed eight days later by the 112th Boston Marathon on April 21.

Here is a look back at some of the many highlights from the 2006-2007 World Marathon Majors Series:

Record Breakers:

* 2006: Robert K. Cheruiyot (KEN) sets a course record of 2:07:14 at the 110th Boston Marathon.
* Deena Kastor (USA) sets a new American record of 2:19:36 in winning the 2006 Flora London Marathon, becoming the eighth woman to break 2:20:00.
* Ethiopians Haile Gebrselassie (2:05:56) and Gete Wami (2:21:34) each set national records in victory at the 2006 real,-BERLIN-MARATHON.
* Gebrselassie sets a new world record of 2:04:26 at the 2007 real,-BERLIN-MARATHON.
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Gebrselassie, Defar Short-Listed for World Athletes of the Year

Posted November 16th, 2007 at 7:00 AM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Track & Field

Haile Gebrselassie and Meseret Defar are among the three men’s and women’s finalist for World Athlete of the Year, the IAAF announced last week.

The 34-year-old Gebrselassie lowered the world record in the marathon to 2:04:26, pending ratification, at the real,-Berlin Marathon in September, and earlier in the year, set world records for the one hour run on the track, and for 20,000m en route.

Defar, 23, produced yet another astonishing season. After a world record indoors over 3000m, the Ethiopian broke her own world record in the 5000m at the Golden League kick-off in Oslo in June, won the world title in the 5000m in August, and capped her season with a world best for 2 miles in Brussels.
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Observing Ramadan, Khannouchi Became
Night Runner

Posted October 19th, 2007 at 12:50 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics

An observant Muslim, Khalid Khannouchi has faced some unique challenges as he prepares for the USA Olympic Team Trials - Men’s Marathon scheduled for Nov. 3, in New York’s Central Park.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast between sunup and sundown. In observance of that tradition, Khannouchi would not begin his training until late at night after he had fully digested his dinner, sometimes finishing his training as late as 2:00 a.m.

Khannouchi, who with wife and coach Sandra, live in Ossining, N.Y. north of New York City, had to change training venues from the Rockefeller Preserve near his house to Central Park. The Preserve, which boasts a lovely network of carriage roads, is pitch-black at night, while the paved Central Park Loop road is well lit, like most of Manhattan This has at least given him the benefit of being able to train on the Trials course.
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New WR Setter Gebrselassie Eyes Dubai Marathon

Posted October 1st, 2007 at 4:30 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Twenty four world records, and counting. The Haile Gebrselassie road show moves on from the latest addition to that list, a world record 2.04.26 in the real,_Berlin Marathon on Sunday. His next dates with destiny?

The Dubai Marathon on January 18, 2008, then the Olympic marathon in Beijing in August. But hasn´t someone (Kenyan Sammy Wanjiru) recently ´stolen´ the half-marathon world record from him?

“I have plans for that, but this will be a secret,” said Gebrselassie, who can be as entertaining in press conferences as he can be in breaking world records. “I´m discussing it with my manager. It´s one of my aims (to retrieve the record)”.
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2:04:26 World Record for Gebrselassie in Berlin

Posted September 30th, 2007 at 2:29 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics

Nineteen years ago, a skinny 15 year old did what millions of country kids over the centuries have done. Haile Gebrselassie went up to the big city, to seek his fortune. He was only in Addis Ababa a couple of days, just long enough to run a marathon and struggle, half crippled from the effort, back home to his village 175 kilometres away. He would start running again a week later, when the pain subsided, and the dreams of success returned.

But even he could not have dreamed that what began with a 2hrs 48min marathon round the back streets of Addis, admittedly at altitude, would presage a career which, thus far has netted him 24 world records, the latest coming in Berlin on Sunday morning, at that same marathon distance, but his time some 44 minutes faster, in 2.04.26.
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Berlin Marathon 2007:
Haile Sets WR; Wami Wins

Posted September 30th, 2007 at 9:15 AM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Running in near ideal conditions, Haile Gebrselassie shattered the World record in the marathon, clocking 2:04:26 at the real,-Berlin Marathon today.

Defending his Berlin title, the 34-year-old Ethiopian knocked 29 seconds from the preview record, 2:04:55, set by Kenyan Paul Tergat over the same course in 2003.

Gebrselassie, who had previously broken 23 world records or bests over his career, reached the half way point in 1:02:29.

Kenyans took the next three spots, with Abel Kirui second in 2:06:51, Salim Kipsang (2:07:29) third and Philip Manyim, the 2005 Berlin winner, fourth (2:08:01).

Gete Wami defended her women’s title, winning in 2:23:17, well ahead of Germany’s marathon debutant Irina Mikitenko, who took second in 2:24:49.

Look for additional details later today.

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Gebrselassie sets sights on Berlin, world-record

Posted June 14th, 2007 at 12:42 PM by Jessica Galvano

Section: News & Results, Marathons

After running 2:05:56 to clinch a first-place finish at the Berlin Marathon last year, Haile Gebrselassie will return to this year’s field and attempt another winning performance. No doubt intending to defend his title, the Ethiopian marathoner has his sights set on something more: a world record. While Gebrselassie currently holds the title of Berlin champion, the title of world champion has managed to escape him by mere seconds.

As the site of Gebrselassie’s personal best, Berlin has produced some of the marathons fastest finishes, most notable among them Paul Tergat’s world record 2:04:55 in 2003. Despite many attempts at the record, Tergat’s time—at least for now—remains unbeatable. This year however, Gebrselassie hopes to end the Kenyan’s four-year run as world record holder.
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