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The quality keeps coming for HBA Great Australian Run

The men’s field for the HBA Great Australian Run became even stronger today with the announcement that two more international stars and a pair of talented Australians will compete in the event to be held on the streets of Melbourne on Sunday 30 November.

Reigning world marathon champion, Luke Kibet and steeplechaser, Gunther Weidlinger will join the great Haile Gebrselassie, Olympic women’s gold medallist Constantina Dita-Tomescu and Australia’s number one road runners Benita Johnson and Craig Mottram at the head of the field for the 15km classic, that has quickly become the best quality road race ever staged in Australia, outside the Sydney Olympics.

Kibet and Weidlinger could not have had more contrasting fortunes at last year’s World Championships, but both will be out to make an equally strong impression when the Great Run Series makes it Australian debut.

Kibet surprised many pundits when he defied the heat and humidity in Osaka to record the biggest winning margin (1 min 19 secs) in world championships history whilst the Austrian attracted almost as much interest when he crashed spectacularly in a frightening fall during the steeple heats directly in front of the media throng. Footage and stills of the unfortunate Weidlinger featured around the World.

 [To view the clip on You Tube - click here]

The Kenyan who runs almost exclusively on the road has an impressive set of personal bests, including 42mins 44 for the 15km distance of the Melbourne race and 1:12.52 for 25km, which ranks him third on the world all time list for the distance behind HBA Great Australian Run favourite, Gebrselassie.

His marathon victory in Osaka in the prevailing 30 degree heat and 70 percent humidity was the top level international breakthrough the then 24 year old was seeking, after making his presence felt with a personal best of 2:08.52 in 2005 and his first major win at the distance in Vienna earlier in 2007.

The bespectacled Weidlinger is a versatile athlete. Whilst best known as a world class steeplechaser, he has quality personal bests stretching from 3.34.69 at 1500 metres to 1hr 01.42 for the half marathon.

He set an Austrian record of 27:36.46 for 10000 metres when finishing within two seconds of Mottram at the Stanford (US) Meet in May.

He is no stranger to Australia having first ventured Down Under as an 18 year old to compete in the World Junior Championships in Sydney, returning four years later for his Olympic debut. Both visits hold good memories for the now 30 year old, having made the final in the steeplechase on both occasions.

There will be plenty of Australian interest in the men’s elite field for the race as well, with Olympic steeplechase finalist and 2002 Commonwealth games 1500m bronze medallist, Youcef Abdi and two time Australian cross country champion, Martin Dent announcing their intention to run.

For Abdi, it will be a case of venturing into new territory whilst Dent will be on more familiar ground have already tested his abilities at full and half marathon distances.

The race will be telecast live by Network Ten around Australia from 8.30am on race day, and the coverage will also be seen by countless millions around the globe when the highlights program is later transmitted by Great Run partner stations in Europe, Africa and Asia and by Fox Sport in Australia and New Zealand.