ANOTHER GIANT LEAP? AT BERLIN MARATHON MEN
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| Eliud Kipchoge |
Just
over ten years ago, the teenage Eliud Kipchoge sprang into the public
consciousness by holding off the celebrated Hicham El Guerrouj and
Kenenisa Bekele to win the World 5000 metres title in one of the most
exciting finishes in the history of track distance running. Despite a
decade of superlative performances since then, including Olympic silver
and bronze medals, Kipchoge has not quite managed to reach the heights
of that performance in Paris.
Pursuing,
as he admits an ‘old school’ idea of turning to marathons at the end of
his career, the 29 year old Kipchoge made a winning debut, 2.05.30 in
Hamburg six months ago. It was a tough race, but if Hamburg was the
frying pan, Berlin, where he runs on Sunday, will be the fire. The
course may be clement – ‘flat and forgiving,’ as Desiree Davila
characterised yesterday - but the opposition is torrid.
It
would have been more so, had not current world record holder, Patrick
Makau had to pull out, injured, a fortnight ago. But Wilson Kipsang, who
ran just four seconds shy of Makau’s 2.03.38, when winning in Frankfurt
two years ago, leads the fray. The unrelated Geoffrey Kipsang, who
finished third in Berlin (2.06.12) last year was also on the top table
at today’s (Friday) press conference. And Eliud Kiptanui, who made his
own cataclysmic European debut with a 2.05.39 win in Prague 2010 is
waiting in the wings.
Throw in a couple of Wilson K’s hand-picked pacers, and all of the ingredients are there for the 40th
anniversary BMW Berlin Marathon to produce another very fast time, and
dare we suggest, another world record, to add to the seven set here in
the German capital since 1998?
Wilson
Kipsang left few doubts that his trip to Berlin had any other
objective. “Right from the start, I’ve prepared to run very well here.
It’s in my mind to run the world record. Having run 2.03.42, I know it’s
possible. I’ve trained to my very best, and if everything goes well
with the pacemakers and my colleagues, I think we can do it. It’s a team
effort, like in training, even more in a race. The more you have a
strong group, the more easy it is”.
Kipchoge
and Geoffrey Kipsang were more circumspect. Kipchoge said, “My main
target is to run under 2.05.30, and do a personal best. I will go with
the pacemakers, but I can’t say I’ll run a world record”. Talking of his
transition from the track, he added, “It’s hard to adapt. The training
is one thing, but the most important thing is the mind. And in my mind,
I’ve settled for the road”.
At
20, Geoffrey Kipsang is only a few month older than Kipchoge was when
he won his world title in Paris. But after failing to make national
cross country and track teams, Geoffrey K, like so many of his young
compatriots turned to the road. He has run asuperative 58.54, in winning
the prestigious Ras Al Khaimah Half-Marathon in January; but he made
light of his comprehensive defeat of his namesake Wilson, in the Bogotá
‘half’ three months ago, saying, “The half-marathon and the marathon
are two different things, I’m just looking to run better than last year.
I’ve prepared well, but my real focus is the beat my best”.
Kipchoge
pointed out that his Hamburg performance makes him only the third man
in history, alongside Haile Gebrselassie and Paul Tergat, to run
sub-12.50 for 5000 metres, sub-26.50 for 10,000 metres, and under 2.06
for the marathon. What he didn’t mention is that his illustrious
colleagues both set world marathon records on this Berlin course. And
they, along with other recent world record breakers here - Ronaldo da
Costa, Patrick Makau, Naoko Takahashi, and Tegla Loroupe - will be
watching from the sidelines.
Over to you, Eliud!
SOURCE: www.Globerunner.org
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