RADCLIFFE, NDEREBA RETURN TO STAR-STUDDED LONDON MARATHON
By David Monti
(c) 2008 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved - used with permission
History's
two fastest women over the classic marathon distance, Britain's Paula
Radcliffe and Kenya's Catherine Ndereba, will return to the starting
line of the Flora London Marathon next April after several year
absences, part of a blockbuster field assembled by race director Dave
Bedford for the 29th edition of his race.
Radcliffe, the holder of both the absolute and women's-only world
records, 2:15:25 and 2:17:42, respectively, is also a three-time London
champion. However, the 34 year-old athlete, who makes her home in
Monte Carlo, has not run London since 2005 when she set the all-women's
world record, which is still also the third-fastest time in history.
"It's fantastic to be back at the Flora London
Marathon," said Radcliffe through a media release. "I've missed the
last three years through injuries and it was frustrating not to be
fully fit for the Olympic Games this summer. But after my victory in
New York last month, I'm hungry to win back my Flora London Marathon
title and join Ingrid in the record books."
"Ingrid" is retired Norwegian star, Ingrid Kristiansen, who won London four times between 1984 and 1988.
Ndereba,
36, hasn't run London since 2003 when she finished second to Radcliffe
in 2:19:55 in her only appearance at the race. Two times the world
marathon champion and Olympic silver medalist, Ndereba has also won the
Boston Marathon four times and the Bank of America Chicago Marathon
twice. Her 2:18:47 personal best, formerly the world record set in
Chicago in 2001, makes her the second-fastest women's marathoner of all
time.
Bedford's field also includes defending London champion
and 2007/2008 World Marathon Majors champion, Irina Mikitenko. The
soft-spoken German star won both the London and Berlin Marathons in
2008, and her 2:19:19 winning time in Berlin (with the assistance of
male pacemakers) makes her the second-fastest European woman of all
time. Olympic gold medalist Constantina Dita is the other big European
star.
The race's other top Africans include 2006/2007 World
Marathon Majors champion Gete Wami of Ethiopia, and her compatriot
Berhane Adere, who holds the Ethiopian record of 2:20:42. Kenyan
Martha Komu, fifth in the Beijing Olympic Marathon, is also in the
field.
China's Zhou Chunxiu, the Olympic bronze medalist who ran
away from the field to win London in 2007, is the top Asian athlete in
the field and is definitely a threat to win London again.
"The
array of former champions, record holders, world and Olympic champions
means London will be treated to a spectacular demonstration of marathon
running on 26th April," Bedford declared.
The Flora London
Marathon is the second stop in 2009 of the World Marathon Majors
series, a points competition incorporating the commercial marathons in
Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, and New York City, plus the IAAF World
Championships and Olympic Games Marathons in the years those races
occur. Mikitenko leads the 2008/2009 series with 50 points, reflecting
her victories at Berlin and London this year (each victory is worth 25
points). Russian Alevtina Biktimirova is tied for second place with
Dita with 30 points, while Radcliffe is in a three-way tie for fourth
with Ethiopia's Dire Tune and Russia's Lidiya Grigoryeva. The series
champion will be crowned after the 2008 ING New York City Marathon next
November and will be presented with a check for USD 500,000.
Here is the full women's elite field for the Flora London Marathon with personal best times:
Irina Mikitenko, GER 2:19:19
Paula Radcliffe, GBR 2:15:25
Catherine Ndereba, KEN 2:18:47
Zhou Chunxiu, CHN 2:19:51
Berhane Adere, ETH 2:20:42
Lyudmila Petrova (40+), 2:21:29
Constantina Dita, ROU 2:21:30
Svetlana Zakharova, RUS 2:21:31
Gete Wami, ETH 2:21:34
Mara Yamauchi, GBR 2:25:03
Martha Komu, KEN 2:25:33
Inga Abitova, RUS 2:33:55
Kate O’Neill, USA 2:34:04
Liliya Shobukova, RUS Debut
Jo Pavey, GBR Debut
PHOTOS:
Paula Radcliffe wins the 2008 BUPA Great South Run (photo courtesy of
Nova International); Catherine Ndereba after winning the 2007 CIGNA
Falmouth Road Race (photo by Jane Monti, Race Results Weekly)
ENDS