Press Release - Vienna City Marathon - 3/15/11

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                 Haile Gebrselassie is Confident for Vienna

After a knee injury Haile Gebrselassie is confident to run a half marathon 
on 17th April in Vienna. This was confirmed by the management of the 
Ethiopian superstar. The event in Austria will be staged parallel to the 
Vienna City Marathon. Organisers expect a total of more than 30,000 runners 
to take part in the various events on 17th April. Online entry is still 
available at: www.vienna-marathon.com

After a fall in training during which he injured his knee Haile 
Gebrselassie had to cancel his start at the Tokyo Marathon in February. 
Originally it was feared that he would not be able to run for six weeks, 
which might have led to him being unable to participate in Vienna as well. 
But as his Dutch manager Jos Hermens now confirmed the 37 year-old marathon 
world record holder (2:03:59) has started running again. "Recently Haile 
was able to start running again and he is confident that he can participate 
in the Vienna Half Marathon as planned," said Jos Hermens and explained 
that Haile had done some alternative training after the fall and thus was 
able to conserve his good form from the beginning of the year. 

To mark the occasion of having signed one of the best athletes of all times 
organisers of the Vienna City Marathon have created a special race for 
Haile Gebrselassie. It will have the motto: 'Catch me, if you can'. The 
multiple world record holder and two-time Olympic Champion (10,000 m) will 
not only run the half marathon but he will also chase the elite marathon 
runners. They will run on the same course and will get a head start. The 
time difference between the two starts will be determined nearer to the 
event.
 
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