by Alfonz Juck
Kenenisa Bekele, photo by PhotoRun.net
LONDON MARATHON NEWS
LONDON (GBR): Kenenisa Bekele has said he is in “as good shape” as he was in the Berlin Marathon where he ran 2:03:03 last September, informs organisers. “I am in just as good shape as I was in Berlin last year. I think I can improve my personal best, that would be perfect for me. Of course, in a marathon anything can happen, but I can say I am ready and full of confidence,” he said. Bekele has confirmed he is injury free again after he dropped out of the Dubai Marathon where he was tripped at the start. Bekele also plans to target the course record 2:03:05.
LONDON (GBR): Bedan Karoki is aiming to run between 2:04 and 2:07 on his marathon debut, informs organisers. “I believe I can run a good time,” he said. “I’m not scared, my preparation has been good, it’s been consistent. I’m expecting to run between 2:04 and 2:07. I’ll see how I feel and what position I’m in, but maybe I can run 2:05,” he said.
LONDON (GBR): Jo Pavey has admitted she has been sidelined by illness in the lead-up to the London Marathon, informs PA. “I’ve trained as hard as I could. I’ve had a bit more illness than I would have liked but any busy parent can relate to that and I’ve kept training consistently,” she said. Pavey is still aiming to break her lifetime best of 2:28:24 and make the British team for the World Championships in London where she looks set to receive a belated 10,000m bronze medal from the 2007 World Championships.
LONDON (GBR): Former European 5000m champion Jesus Espana has pulled out of the London Marathon due to injury, informs RFEA.
LONDON (GBR): Runners in the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon will be given a Royal send-off on Sundaywhen The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will be the event’s official race starters, along with double Olympic rowing gold medallists Helen Glover and Heather Stanning. The three Royals will push a giant button at exactly 10:00 to send 35 elite men and more than 39,000 mass race runners on their 26.2-mile journey from Shooters Hill in south east London to Westminster.
LONDON (GBR): Ghirmay Ghebreslassie is the youngest world marathon gold medallist in history, but he’s gearing up to run his fastest ever race at the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon. British men and women will also run for World Championships selection and Abel Kirui targets the same in Kenyan vest.
