FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
World Record Holder Tadese for Prague 'Half'
Tadese in the Footsteps of Zatopek
The burgeoning running scene in the Czech Republic will be boosted by the
five-time world champion and world record holder, Zersenay Tadese competing
in the Hervis Prague half-marathon in early April.
Tadese, the most successful Eritrean runner in history has won five out of
six World Half Marathon races he has contested since 2006, also taking
silver in 2010. Additionally, he is a World cross country champion (2007),
and an Olympic bronze and World silver medallist at 10,000 metres.
Tadese, 30, ran the current half-marathon world record of 58min 23sec in
Lisbon 2010, and is expected to attack the Prague course record of 58.47,
the fourth fastest in history (and world's fastest last year), set by
Ethiopian Atsedu Tsegay.
Among the other runners due to appear on the start line alongside Tadese on
April 6, will be Philemon Limo from Kenya who ran the first half-marathon
under one hour in the Czech Republic in 2011, with a time of 59:30. It is
expected that the field will shortly be augmented by other sub-60min men.
Nor since the days of the illustrious Emil Zátopek has distance running
flourished as it has done in recent years in Prague and throughout the
Czech Republic. This has been due, largely, to the efforts of Carlo Capalbo
and his team at the Prague International Marathon (PIM).
In addition to the Prague 'half', and Volkswagen Marathon on May 11, with
the Mattoni Grand Prix 10k on September 7, the RunCzech road race series,
launched by PIM three years ago, now comprises half marathons in the
provincial towns of Ceské Budejovice, Olomouc, Ústí nad Labem, with the
Karlovy Vary inaugural event this coming May 25.
"We are pleased to welcome such a top athlete, to take part in the 15th
edition of the Hervis Prague Half Marathon," said Carlo Capalbo, Chairman
of the Organizing Committee at the Prague International Marathon. "Once
again we are going to see records smashed here in Prague".
"Zersenay Tadese, who will be celebrating his 31st birthday this February,
runs an incredibly limited number of races each year, which he selects
carefully. We are truly happy that he chose Prague this year", added Jana
Moberly, Coordinator of Elite Athletes for the Organizing Team.
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