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Two-time ING New York City Marathon champion Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia is the leading entry for Sunday's Semi-Marathon de Paris in the French capital.
Prokopcuka, 31, has a personal best of 1:08:11 for the half-marathon --the fastest ever by a Latvian-- set at the BUPA Great North Run in 2005. She will be making her competitive debut for 2008 and, under husband and coach Aleks Prokopcuk, is preparing for the Boston Marathon on April 21.
Lining up against Prokopcuka in Paris, according to race organizer René Auguin, will be veteran Linah Cheruiyot of Kenya (1:08:54 PB), and Genet Getaneh of Ethiopia (1:10:30). Kenyans Joan Aiyabei and Beatrice Omwanza will also be in the race.
Kenyans dominate the mens' field, and six men have broken the 61 minute barrier. The leading contenders for victory are Wilson Chebet (1:00:13 PB), Shadrack Kiplagat (1:00:35), John Kales (1:00:47), David Langat (1:00:47), and Jackson Kirwa (1:00:52).
The one-loop certified course, which begins and ends at the Esplanade du Château de Vincennes, is fast, but not completely flat (lowest elevation 32m, highest elevation 58m). The course records are 1:00:22 by Joseph Maregu of Kenya in 2007 and 1:09:37 by Alina Tecuta of Romania in 1997. Prokopcuka has a very good chance of breaking the women's record.
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