Posted: May 19, 2005

Athletics: Gebrselassie, Baldini, Lebed Headline BUPA Great Manchester Run

From David Monti

© 2005 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Bob Ramsak

With Haile Gebrselassie, Olympic marathon champion Stefano Baldini and five-time European cross country champion Sergey Lebed topping the field, organizers are expecting an assault on Craig Mottram’s 27:54 course record at Sunday’s BUPA Great Manchester Run 10-K in Manchester, England.

"It's a fast flat course and well within the capabilities of all three of them," said Matthew Turnbull, the race’s athletics director.

"Haile at his best should slaughter it," Turnbull said. "But races are funny things. It could be a tactical affair and slow, as we have no intention of providing pacemakers. An exciting race is more important to us than a runner chasing records helped by a hare. However if it is competitive, I'm sure a fast time will emerge."

Gebrselassie, who was forced out of last Month’s Flora London Marathon with injury, will make his first race appearance since a 1:01:33 half-marathon win in Granollers, Spain on Feb. 6.

Juan Carlos de la Ossa of Spain, who defeated Ugandan Boniface Kiprop at the Great Caledonian Run 10-K on May 8, is also in the line-up. At last month’s European Cup 10,000m, the Spaniard lowered his 10,000 meter personal best on the track to 27:27.80.

In the women’s race, two-time Olympic 10,000 meter champion Derartu Tulu was announced today as a late replacement for defending champion Sonia O’Sullivan.

"Sonia's still feeling the after affects of the London Marathon and doesn't believe she can do herself justice in such a high calibre race," Turnbull said. O’Sullivan finished eighth in London, clocking a personal best 2:29:01.

In her last race, Tulu finished second behind Latvian Jelena Prokopcuka at the Great Caledonian Run. Prokopchuka is also in the Manchester field.

Lornah Kiplagat, winner of last weekend’s Britannic Asset Management Women's Run 10-K in Glasgow, is among the favorites. The Kenyan-born Dutchwoman clocked 31:44 in Glasgow, defeating her cousin Hilda Kibet by eight seconds.

Kenyan Isabella Ochichi, the Olympic 5000 meter silver medallist, was forced to withdraw as well after being ordered to compete in Kenya this weekend, Turnbull said.

According to organizers, a record 20,000 entries have been received for the race. BBC 2 will broadcast a 90-minute highlights program on Sunday afternoon.