FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARTIN LEL ON COURSE FOR 2012 STANDARD CHARTERED DUBAI MARATHON
Dubai (UAE): Three time London Marathon winner and twice a winner over the
classic distance in New York, Kenyan running great Martin Lel will make his
Middle East debut when he joins the field for the 2012 Standard Chartered
Dubai Marathon on January 27.
Still only 33, Lel remains a modern day running legend having won in London
in 2005, 2007 and 2008, while in 2003 and 2007 he also triumphed in the New
York City Marathon. Now fit after a spell of injury, the Kenyan will be one
of the firm favourites to win the $250,000 first prize when the Standard
Chartered Dubai Marathon gets underway from Downtown Dubai next month.
"We have been after Martin for a long time now so we are delighted he has
agreed to run in Dubai for the first time in January," said event director
Peter Connerton.
"Last month, we flew to Kenya to meet Martin and see him train in the
Kenyan Rift Valley town of Eldoret and he looked in superb shape. He
obviously knows a lot about Dubai and the marathon and firmly believes he
can bounce back with another fast time just as he did earlier this year in
London."
With a marathon personal best of 2h:05m:15s set in London in 2008, Lel is
no stranger to fast times over the 42km distance and he showed he has lost
none of his class when, after almost three years without running a
marathon, he finished second in the 2011 London Marathon with a time of
2h:05m:44s.
Lel ran his first marathons in 2002 and although he failed to finish at the
Prague Marathon he went on to claim second in the Venice Marathon. He won
the Lisbon Half Marathon in 2003, 2006 and 2009, was the gold medalist at
the 2003 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, and won the Portugal Half
Marathon in 2005.
Lel made his Olympic debut for Kenya at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where he
came fifth in the marathon, while he has also tasted victory in the Great
North Run in Newcastle, England in 2007 and 2009.
"Like Haile Gebrselassie who has competed in Dubai on three occasions,
Martin Lel is one of African sport's greatest athletes and I am sure he
will have the support of the Kenyan community on January 27," said Ahmed Al
Kamali, Event General Co-ordinator, IAAF Council Member and President of
the UAE Athletics Federation.
To be staged under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, and
under the aegis of the Dubai Sports Council, the Standard Chartered Dubai
Marathon will see around 15,000 runners take to the streets of Dubai from a
new starting point outside The Pavilion Downtown Dubai opposite the Burj
Khalifa, the world's tallest building.
As well as Lel, fellow Kenyan David Barmasai - the first Kenyan athlete to
win the men's race since 2007 - will return to defend his men's title as
the event finalises an elite field that will have a fast time and Olympic
qualification as targets.
Now recognised with Gold Label status from the International Association of
Athletics Federations (IAAF), the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon is
supported by The Dubai Sports Council, Dubai Holding, "Official Outfitter"
adidas, Emaar, Dubai Eye 103.8 FM, Sport 360, TNT, Fitness First, Plan B
and by government departments Dubai Police, RTA, Dubai Municipality DHA and
the Dubai Ambulance Services. Runners looking to compete in the Marathon,
the 10km or the 3km Fun Run can register online at www.dubaimarathon.org.
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