Haile Gebreselassie - Running ING New York City Marathon (07/11/2010)

ING New York City Marathon (07/11/2010, Sunday) 

Picture 1 - The always cheerful Haile Gebreselassie, currently the world record holder for marathon, running the ING New York City Marathon on 7th Nov 2010.

I remember just weeks before running the 1993 Berlin International marathon, Haile Gebreselassie ran the World Championhsips Track and Field 5000m race. In the race, Ismail Kirui, from Kenya, and Haile, from Ethiopia, ran the race and they were just 18 years of age. In the race, I remember both runners breaking the World junior record. It was a fantastic run which I will always remember. I watched the video tape again and again everyday in England, where I did my further studies, before running the Berlin Marathon in 1993. I believe that seeing the run everyday contributed to me doing a 2hr 28min for the Berlin Marathon.

In 2007, I met Haile during the London Marathon. He was a cordial person. He joined me for a photograph which we took at the hotel in England together. It was a dream come true. As his race was the next day, I decided not to talk to Haile in order not to distract his attention from his highly competitive race.

I also remember Haile breaking the World record for marathon in Berlin in 2007 and again in the year 2008. Although I did not meet him in 2008, I could hear him announcing his joy of breaking the record in Berlin in the microphone as I was finishing the last 300m of the Berlin Marathon race that year.

Picture 2 - A rare opportunity to take a photo shot with the current world record holder of marathon (2hr 03min 59sec), Haile Gebresilassie.

As tomorrow is Sunday, the New York City Marathon will be taking place. The favourite to win for men is Haile Gebreselassie (men) and Derartu Tulu (women), both from Ethiopia. Hence, they are widely expected to thrill Sunday’s New York City Marathon.

Gebrselassie, who is still the current world record holder with a time of 2hr 03min 59sec will run the New York City Marathon for the first time. Although questions have been raised on his winning the race, his agent says that Gebrselassie remains motivated and optimistic. “We have to be realistic; we know there are not that many opportunities left,” Jos Hermens of the Netherlands told The New York Times. “But in his mind, he is so competitive, he feels he can run half a minute or a minute faster in ideal conditions and in good health.” Gebrselassie will be competing with fellow Ethiopian Gebre Gebremariam and the professional men’s defending champion Meb Keflezighi of the United States, among others.

Picture 3 - Derartu Tulu, favourite to win the ING New York City Marathon 2010

In the women’s group, two-time Olympic 10,000m champion Derartu Tulu, the first Ethiopian woman to win the New York City Marathon, will defend her title while leading a pack of other Ethiopian women from her country. Other participating Ethiopian female athletes include the 2010 Boston Marathon champion Teyba Erkesso, Werknesh Kidane, and Bronx resident Buzunesh Deba. Derartu also faces tough challenge from American Shalane Flanagan, the 2008 Beijing Olympic bronze medalist, and Mary Keitany of Kenya, the 2009 World Half Marathon champion – both making their marathon debut. Derartu Tulu will get to compete with experienced marathoners like Ludmila Petrova and Inga Abitova of Russia as well .