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Olympic gold medallist sets sights on Perth
Reuben Kosgei was aged 21 when he became the youngest ever
Olympic champion in the 3000m steeplechase in Sydney in 2000. The
Kenyan went on to win the world championships title in the same
event the following year in Edmonton (CAN) before adding a bronze
medal to his collection at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in
2006.
Ten years on from Sydney, Kosgei has shifted his attention to the
marathon event and has his sights firmly focused on the distance at
this month’s Rebel Sport City to Surf for Activ in Perth on Sunday,
August 29.
Running his first marathon in 2009, Kosgei's goal is to become
as accomplished in the marathon as he was on the track.
The Kenyan will line up in Perth aiming to cross the line in around
2:10 which, if achieved, will shave almost eight minutes off the
winning time from 2009.
“It is a thrill to have such an accomplished world-class athlete so
committed to running well at the Rebel Sport City to Surf for
Activ,” event media manager Thomas Wagner
said.
Kosgei will be joined at the event by fellow Commonwealth Games
participants including Lisa Weightman in the
Channel Nine 12km Run and Tanzanian team member Oswald Revelian in
the marathon.
Defending champion Joel Kemboi is returning to Perth in 2010 and
will be hoping to challenge Kosgei and Revelian for victory.
Also gearing up for this month's event are three of Western
Australia’s most promising young athletes in Ethan
Heywood, Christopher Dale and
Joshua Tedesco, all members of Stirling Swans
Athletics who train under the guidance of coach and manager
Paul Heywood.
With great commitment to the sport the boys have been selected for
numerous state and national teams. Heywood, a Law/Economics student
at the University of Western Australia and Tedesco, an apprentice
cabinet maker, represented Australia in the 2010 IAAF World Junior
Cross Country Championships in Poland in March, placing 83rd and
96th respectively.
In 2009 Heywood took out the junior Australian National Cross
Country Championships and this month he will look to complete the
Channel Nine 12km run in 37 minutes and be competitive with the
lead runners. Heywood hopes to represent Australia at the
Commonwealth and Olympic Games in the future.
Tedesco, also an avid motorcycle rider, placed second at the junior
Australian titles in the 5000m event and sixth in the 3000m
steeplechase at the Australian championships earlier this year. He
hopes to run under 39 minutes and be placed in the top 10 at the
Rebel Sport City to Surf for Activ this year.
Dale, a physiotherapy student at Curtin University, hopes to
represent Australia in the future and to get on the podium at the
next Australian championships. His aim for the 2010 Rebel Sport
City to Surf for Activ is to run under 39 minutes, which would
break his current personal best.
“I’m really looking forward to competing in the 2010 City to Surf,
it’s great to run in a Western Australian event and especially one
that gives back to the community,” Dale said.
Heywood, Tedesco and Dale will represent Western Australia in the
Under 20 category at the Australian Cross Country Championships in
Queensland on August 21, just a week prior to the 2010 Rebel Sport
City to Surf for Activ.
The Rebel Sport City to Surf for Activ, now in its 36th year, is
WA’s largest community sporting event and includes the Chevron
Marathon, Westpac Half Marathon, Channel Nine 12km Run, Appealathon
12km Walk, Westpac 11km Wheelchair and the Nissan 4km
Walk/Run.
Registration links and further information on the Rebel Sport City
to Surf for Activ is available at www.perthcitytosurf.com.
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