Thursday, February 3, 2011

How fast will Abeylegesse run? - Marugame Half Marathon preview

IAAF reports
The question on most people’s minds before Sunday’s 65th edition of Marugame Half Marathon seems to be: how fast can double 2008 Olympic silver medallist Elvan Abeylegesse run at this IAAF Silver Label Road Race in just her second race over the distance?

Abeylegesse, the 28-year-old Ethiopian-born Turk cruised to runner-up finishes at both 5000m and 10000m in Beijing in 2008, and last year won the longer distance and finished second in the 5000m at the European Championships in Barcelona. Earlier in the year, she made her debut over the Half marathon, clocking 1:07:07 at the Ras Al Khimah Half. Not only was it the 18th fastest ever at the time - making her the 11th fastest performer - it was also the second fastest debut ever over the distance. Furthermore, since the fastest debut, Kara Goucher’s 1:06:57 at the Great North Run was recorded on a downhill course (30.5m elevation drop over 21.0975Km distance), Abeylegesse’s time is the fastest half marathon debut on standard course. Obviously, Abeylegesse’s follow-up is an eagerly awaited one.

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