08.10.2009

Olympic champions to go head-to-head on streets of Melbourne

Australian sports fans are in for a special treat when the past two Olympic marathon champions – Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru and Italian Stefano Baldini - take to the streets of Melbourne for the 2009 Great Australian Run on Sunday, November 29.
 
It’s a rare occurrence in Australia for local sports fans to have the opportunity to witness and participate alongside the past two Olympic gold medallists, of any sport – especially on their own turf.
 
This November they will have that chance when Wanjiru, who won in Beijing and Baldini, who won in Athens, lead thousands of runners, joggers and walkers all participating for fun, fitness, fundraising and footy over the 15km course. Entries are now open at www.greataustralianrun.com.au.
 
No man in history has gone under the two-hour mark for the marathon and Wanjiru, who holds the half marathon world record, has boldly predicted that he will be the man to do it.
 
And with a personal best of 2:05.10 set in winning this year’s prestigious London Marathon, he believes it’s only a matter of time before he breaks the great Haile Gebrselassie's world marathon record of 2:03.59 set in Berlin last year.
 
“These goals are still both within my reach. I’m only one minute and 11 seconds off the world record and I believe I can break the two hour mark within the next five years. I must believe in it,” said the 22-year-old.
 
In Beijing last year, the then 21-year-old made his mark in Olympic history, becoming the youngest marathon gold medallist since 1932 and the first ever Kenyan athlete to win Olympic gold in the 42.195km event.
 
Covering the course in 2:06:32, he smashed the Olympic record by two minutes and 49 seconds, erasing Portuguese athlete Carlos Lopes' time of 2:09.21 set at the 1984 Olympics from the record books.
 
But Wanjiru’s credentials don’t end there. After breaking the world half marathon record for the first time in 2005 (this was improved by Haile Gebrselassie the same year), the diminutive Kenyan regained the honour as the fastest man over the distance two years later, clocking 58:33 in the Fortis City-Pier-City race in the Netherlands.
 
This weekend Wanjiru will start as favourite for the Chicago marathon, and despite a line up that includes two sub-2:06 marathon runners, he remains confident of his chances in the windy city.
 
“I am in good shape and I’ll try to run fast,” said Wanjiru, on what is likely to be his final race before the Great Australian Run.
 
Joining Wanjiru on the start line at the Great Australian Run in seven weeks time will be 2004 Olympic champion Stefano Baldini, and Melbourne’s extensive Italian community will be out in force to cheer on one of its favourite sons.
 
The 38-year-old has spent nearly three decades in the sport, winning his first major title at the world half marathon championships in 1996.
 
Although he tasted success on both the track and in cross country throughout his career, it’s on the road that his real potential came to the fore.
 
Making his marathon mark with two bronze medals at the 2001 and 2003 world championships, it was one year later in 2004 that he became just the second Italian in history to win the Olympic marathon title following Gelindo Bordin’s victory in Seoul in 1988.
 
Baldini competed against Wanjiru twice last year, at the London marathon and then at the Olympics, and holds his rival in high regard.
 
“Samuel is the present and future. He is young but also an experienced athlete because he started his international career very early,” Baldini said.
 
“I think he is the only athlete at the moment able to beat Haile Gebreselassie's world record in the marathon. He only needs a flat course and good race conditions.”
 
The Great Australian Run is part of the international Great Run Series, a program of televised mass participation runs organised by Nova International.
 
Olympic and Commonwealth 10,000 metres medallist Brendan Foster, who is chairman of Nova International, said the inclusion of Wanjiru and Baldini in the elite field was just the start of a host of world-class athletes to be announced in coming weeks.
 
“Sammy Wanjiru is certainly the man to watch in international distance running at the moment and we are delighted that he and 2004 Olympic champion Stefano Baldini will be coming to compete in the Great Australian Run on November 29,” Foster said.
 
“What sets the Great Australian Run apart from all other mass participation runs in Australia is the international elite field which will head thousands of runners, joggers and walkers.
 
“We had the great Haile Gebreselassie compete in the inaugural Great Australian Run last year and with more international names to be announced in the coming weeks, it continues the tradition of the greatest athletes in the world coming to compete in the Great Run series."
 
Entries are now open - visit www.greataustralianrun.com.au
 
Samuel Wanjiri, 22, Kenya
 
2008 Beijing Olympic marathon champion
Half marathon world record holder

Marathon PB: 2:05.10 (London Marathon, April 2009)
Half marathon PB: 58:33 (Den Haag, March 2007)
15km PB: 41:29 (Ros Al Khainah, February 2007)
 
Stefano Baldini, 38, Italy
 
2004 Athens Olympic marathon champion
1996 world half marathon champion
2001 and 2003 world championships marathon bronze medallist

Marathon PB: 2:07:22 (London Marathon, April 2006)
Half marathon PB: 60:50 (Malmo, June 2000)
15km PB: 44:10 (Nijmegen, November 2008)
 
Key event details:
 
What: Fun runs for runners, joggers and walkers of all ages, levels and abilities

When: Saturday, 28 November 2009 (Junior Great Australian Run – 5km, Great Australian Family Run – 2km)

Sunday, 29 November 2009 (Great Australian Run – 15km)

Where: Melbourne, starting and finishing at Albert Park