Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia finished the Chicago Marathon in 2:06:43.
Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia teased marathon manics Sunday after his second-place finish at the Chicago Marathon when he did not immediately discredit claims that he might run the New York City Marathon on Nov. 7. Kebede trails Samuel Wanjiru by 10 points in the race for the 2009-10 World Marathon Majors title and would have to finish at least in second place in the final race of the series in New York to win the top prize of $500,000.
Irrational youthful exuberance perhaps persuaded Kebede, 23, to briefly think of running in two of the most competitive marathons in the world in less than one month. Not surprisingly, Kebede’s representative, Valentin Trouw, confirmed Wednesday that he would wisely skip New York and will worry later in his career about winning the W.M.M.
“New York was never in his mind before Chicago,” Trouw said in a phone interview from his offices in the Netherlands. “He thought about it briefly after Chicago, but then we realized it was not a good idea. Tsegaye has a lot of good years to come, we hope at least 10 years and maybe 12.”
Trouw added that Kebede, a recent surprise as a top global marathon contender, plans to run in the New York City Marathon. But its relatively tough course and race date have not yet made it a priority. London, Berlin and Chicago offer easier courses and a better chance than New York for Kebede to set a world record. Kebede’s personal best, 2 hours 5 minutes 18 seconds is not far behind the world-record holder Haile Gebrselassie’s 2:03:59.
Kebede could make his New York City Marathon debut in 2011, although 2012 is more likely. Trouw explained that the best time for Wanjiru to run in New York would be after an Olympic or world championship marathon due to the extra month of rest the New York race offers as a fall marathon option. The 2011 track and field world championships are scheduled Aug. 27 to Sept. 4 in Daegu, South Korea, giving Kebede only about two months’ rest between races. The 2012 London Olympics ends Aug. 12 and the men’s marathon traditionally is run at the end of the competition. The extra three weeks or so of rest could be the deciding factor in choosing to make his New York debut in 2012.
Kebede, the Olympic and world championships bronze medalist, is poised to be the next great men’s marathon threat. In just his third year as a marathoner, Kebede has run the 12th fastest marathon ever. Whenever he makes his New York City Marathon debut, it would not be a surprise if he clinches his first World Marathon Majors title in the process.
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