Posted: May 24, 2005

Athletics: Gebrselassie Chooses Amsterdam For Fall Marathon

From David Monti

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

Organizers of the ING Amsterdam Marathon announced today that Haile Gebrselassie had committed to competing in their race on Sunday, 16-Oct.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist from Ethiopia, perhaps the most recognizable athlete in the sport of athletics, will only be making the second marathon start of his career. In a dramatic debut in London in 2002, he finished third in 2:06:35 behind Paul Tergat of Kenya and Khalid Khannouchi of the United States. His other marathon plans since then have been scrapped due to unjury.

"Haile Gebrselassie received offers for marathons worldwide, but he has chosen for the ING Amsterdam Marathon because of the central and prominent role he will be allocated in the field, the personal escort and the fast course," said his manager Jos Hermens in a press release.

The course at Amsterdam is indeed fast, and the organizers have shown a willingness over the years to employ many pacemakers to launch the top stars to fast times. The course record is 2:06:23 set by Robert Cheboror in 2004. The 2:07:00 barrier has been broken seven times in Amsterdam and 2:08 has been surpassed 14 times.

"Still five months to go and the 30th edition of the ING Amsterdam Marathon already appears to become unforgettable," said Ralph Hamers of main sponsor ING.

Gebrselassie won the BUPA Great Manchester Run 10-K yesterday in a British all-comers record of 27:25. He told the media that he could be ready to run a 2:04 marathon. His 10,000m personal best of 26:22.75 is roughly equivalent to a 2:03:08 marathon by one popular conversion formula.