Line-ups for autumn marathons are getting finalised as Duncan Kibet joins Haile in Berlin and Sami Wanjiru races in Chicago

July 21, 2009

With two months to go to the Berlin marathon, which will pretty much open the marathon autumn this year, most of the top male marathoners have decided where they want to run (unless they are running the World Championships in Berlin).

In the 36th real,- Berlin marathon (20th of September 2009) Haile Gebrselassie will face strong competition, even though the race organisers could not afford a showdown between Haile and Samuel Wanjiru. However, the 2nd fastest ever-marathon runner Duncan Kibet will join “Mr Long Distance” Haile Gebrselassie in the chase for the new world record on the fast course in Berlin. Kibet won the Amsterdam Marathon in April this year with a time of 2:04:27h. Only Haile himself was faster already over the 42,195km distance. Last year he set the current World Record with a clocking of 2:03:59h in Berlin.

Earlier this year there was some confusion about a possible clash between World Record Gebrselassie and Olympic Champion Wanjiru, but Wanjiru’s statement that he would like to face Geb could not be fulfilled.

Sami Wanjiru is now running the 2009 Bank of America Chicago Marathon (11th October) as several media reported. On the fast course he wants to attack the world record and will face competition from previos Chicago marathon winners Evans Cheruiyot (2008 winner) and Patrick Ivuti (2007 winner).