Romania's Constantina Dita and Switzerland’s Viktor Röthlin, the reigning Olympic and European marathon champions respectively, will line up for the 21st staging of the Bupa Great South Run in Portsmouth, England, on October 24.
For Röthlin, the 10 mile race will be his last competitive run before traveling across the Atlantic and competing in the ING New York City Marathon on November 7, his first outing over the classic distance since his victory at the European Athletics Championships in Barcelona earlier this summer.
Both endurance stars are likely challengers for the title on October 24, in an event widely acknowledged as one of the best road races over the distance on the global circuit.
This year, a record 23,000 competitors will be on the roads of the famous port town on the English coast.
Dita was a winner at the Olympic Games in Beijing two years ago and is a familiar face in British races as a regular competitor in the London Marathon. She is now getting down to serious preparation for her bid to retain her crown at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
“Of course, as I get older, a few things become a little harder, but age means nothing in marathon running. I'm determined to compete and defend my title in London,” said the 40-year-old Romanian.
“This race is the distance which helps you prepare, and it's time to start as the next Olympics are coming around pretty quickly.”
Dita will go head-to-head with former Bupa Great South Run winner and well-known British international Jo Pavey at the event, which is the only 10 mile road race in the world which holds an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Gold Label rating.
The Portsmouth race will be only Röthlin’s second competition since he got his gold medal. He returned to action earlier this month when he competed on home soil at the Greifenseelauf half marathon in Uster.
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