24.04.2009

Dent hell bent on London run

Reigning national cross country champion Martin Dent will take on the London Marathon this weekend as he continues his bid to gain selection to the world championships team.

Dent, who posted a world championships B qualifier and personal best time of 2:14:46 in the Fukuoka Marathon in Japan in December, heads to London looking to crack the 2:10 mark and bolster his selection chances.

Australia’s marathon representatives will be added to the world championships team early next month with Dent, Lee Troop, Mark Tucker, Scott Westcott and Andrew Letherby the names set to be tossed around the selectors’ table.

The London race will be only Dent’s second attempt at a marathon in over four years, the 30-year-old’s hit-out in Fukuoka marking his return to the 42km distance after a lengthy layoff.

The seasoned cross country runner and steeplechase specialist will be pushed all the way along the demanding London course by a quality field of athletes including Kenyans Martin Lel and Sammy Wanjiru set to line up this weekend.

Lel arrives in London chasing a fourth event victory and third straight win, the memory of last year’s epic contest - when Lel, runner-up Wanjiru and third-placed Abderrahim Goumri (MOR), sank to their knees shortly after crossing the finish line – still fresh in the minds of race followers the world over.

On that occasion it was the lanky Lel who produced his trademark finishing kick but countryman Wanjiru went on to secure revenge at the Beijing Olympics, winning the gold medal with a performance that has a strong claim to be the greatest marathon ever run in a championships.

The Olympic champion has sent an ominous warning to the field ahead of Sunday’s race as the event shapes up as one of the most anticipated on this year’s marathon calendar.

"My target is to break the world record and be the world number one,” Wanjiru said.

“If the pace is good on Sunday, I'll try to break the world record."

Given the manner in which he wore down his rivals to become the first Kenyan man to win the Olympic marathon title, Haile Gebrselassie's world record of 2:03:59 is certainly on the agenda.

Pacemakers for the leading group have instructions to run at 2:04:00 tempo, while a second group of pacers will be going for 2:07:30.

Comparing their form in the build-up to London doesn't favour one Kenyan marvel over the other. Wanjiru ran 61:25 for seventh place at the Lisbon Half Marathon on March 22, disappointing for a man who holds the world record for the distance of 58:33, although the 22-year-old emphasises his ability to peak at the right time.

"I wasn't doing speed work at the time, I was concentrating on long distance. If the pace is 61:50 on Sunday that would be good for me and we could break the world record," Wanjiru said.

In contrast, Lel won the Lisbon Half Marathon in 59:56 and after a solid preparation in Kenya, all seems to be on schedule. Though troubled by a slight hip injury in recent days, Lel will relish the pressure of aiming to go one better than Mexican Dionicio Ceron's hat-trick of wins from 1994 to 1996.

"I know the London Marathon is one of the most competitive races but it's normal for me to have pressure, pressure is actually good for me,” he said.

“I'm ready to go with the pace, especially if my friend Wanjiru tries something, I'll be there."

Such is the quality of the field in London yet again that 2007 world champion Luke Kibet (KEN) concedes a fast pace would leave him concentrating on improving his personal best of 2:08:52, set when finishing third in Eindhoven four years ago.

Still with harrowing memories of the unrest in Kenya last year, Kibet regained his winning touch at the Singapore Marathon in December. Now recovered from a minor tendon injury, Kibet is out to improve on his 11th place in London 12 months ago.

"Last year I ran badly but the weather wasn't good and that didn't suit me.” He said.

“Now I've prepared well and I want to run my personal best in London."

Sunday's race will also be significant for Wanjiru and Lel in the 2008-2009 World Marathon Majors series. Wanjiru leads the men's rankings with 40 points while Lel is third with 26, four adrift of Deriba Merga of Ethiopia, who moved into second place following his victory in the Boston Marathon on Monday.

With thanks to www.london-marathon.co.uk