FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Singapore Marathon Approaches
It's styled as the Greatest Race on Earth, but it’s certainly one of the
toughest. Sunday morning’s Singapore Marathon is the second in a four-race
series sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank, which began in Nairobi a month
ago, and culminates in Mumbai and Hong Kong in the New Year. That's to say,
one race at altitude, and three in the sort of heat and humidity that
usually send Singapore residents and tourists alike scurrying for the
air-conditioned shopping malls.
But four years of bringing elite marathoners to the island-nation have
persuaded over six thousand Singaporeans and ex-pats out onto the streets
to trot along behind such luminaries as 1992 Olympic steeplechase champion,
Matthew Birir of Kenya, and one-time world leader in the marathon, Abebe
Mekonnen of Ethiopia.
That pair may have seen better days, but defending champions, Kenyans
Philip Tanui and Helen Cherono face the best fields ever assembled here in
Singapore. There are ten men who have beaten 2r 10min, and eight woman who
have bettered 2hr 30min.
Tanui was drawn into distance running by the example of his elder brother,
Moses, winner of the 1991 world 10,000 metres title, and subsequently one
of the world’s leading marathoners. Moses is now retired, persuaded perhaps
by Philip’s marathon debut, victory in Rome 1999, in 2.07.54. Although he’s
had a hard time reproducing that form, the younger Tanui won a tight
struggle here last year, only getting away from previous year’s winner,
compatriot John Kelai in the last two kilometres.
Conditions this year promise to be cooler than for former marathons, but
that still means around 20C (68F) at the 6am start, and over 80% humidity.
"I would welcome cooler conditions," said Tanui today (Friday), "I was very
surprised by the humidity last year. It's a much better field this year,
but I know the course."
Kelai is back again, but Tanui’s principal rival is yet another Kenyan with
a fast time to his name. Joseph Ngolepus ran 2.07.57 in finishing third in
London 2003. But it took the reigning and future Olympic champion, Abera of
Ethiopia and Baldini of Italy to beat him. Ngolepus won another top
marathon, Berlin in 2001, and also his previous outing this year, the Rock
‘n’ Roll Marathon in San Diego in 2.11.04. "That was also hot and humid,"
said Ngolepus, "but I think this is tougher." Ngolepus is in the same
training group as former women’s world record holder, Tegla Loroupe and
winner of London and New York, Joyce Chepchumba, who is the leading woman
here in Singapore.
But Chepchumba will need all her guile to fend off compatriot, Helen
Cherono who won here last year, Gigi Roba of Ethiopia, who ran 2.26.05 in
Paris last year, and 19 year old Chinese, Wang Xiaoshu, all of whom are ten
years and more younger than Chepchumba, though she will have the
consolation of competing with another veteran, who also won London,
Malgorzata Sobanska of Poland.
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