Course record attacks planned
08.05.2009 World
The International Volkswagen Prague Marathon will celebrate its 15th anniversary next Sunday.
The aim is again to attack both course records 2:08:52 (1998) and 2:26:33 (2001). In the men start list four runners are having better best results than the course mark. Former Chicago winner Patrick Ivuti has 2:07:46, David Kemboi 2:08:34 and Leonard Mucheru (with his Bahraini episode) 2:09:37.
The fourth in this group is Morrocan now representing Spain Hicham Chatt (2:07:59). Also returning is title defender Kenneth Mungara (2:10:37), his team-mate Stephen Kipkoech (2:10:10) and Ukrainian Oleksandr Sitkovski (2:10:18). Other top European runners will be also from Ukraine Andrey Naumov (2:11:06) and Mykola Antonenko (2:11:57) along with Italian Mostafa Errebbah (but of Morrocan origin, 2:12:22).
In terms of debuts Belgian solid track runner and olympian Monder Rizki, Kenyans Jonathan Maiyo (60:10) and Stephen Kosgei (60:34). In women category Ethiopian favorites are Shitaye Gemechu (2:26:10 last year in Paris) and Mulu Seboka (2:29:06 from last year in Toronto). But this year the fastest is Eyerusalem Kuma of Ethiopia who improved to 2:26:51 while beeing 6th in Dubai in January.
Top Europeans are Russian Olga Glok (2:30:40 last year in Paris) and experienced Polish runner Malgorzata Sobanska (40, her best 2:26:08 from 2001, last year 2:31:20). In the elite category in total runners from 16 countries, best home runner will be the former international Robert Stefko. The race has the IAAF Silver Label.
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