FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Blom Beirut Marathon Sunday
Perhaps the most startling fact about the Beirut Marathon is that there is
a marathon in Beirut. Long considered the focus and flashpoint for violence
in the Middle East, Beirut's uneasy peace, during which the city has been
extensively rebuilt over the past decade, is still regularly shattered by
bomb blasts and assassinations. Indeed the course of the marathon, now in
its eighth year, had to be re-routed two years ago, in order to avoid bomb
damage.
But, according to May El Khalil, the businesswoman whose initiative after a
near-fatal accident gave birth to the race, the diverse and occasionally
violent opposing factions in Lebanon all wish the BLOM Bank Beirut Marathon
well.
"I've never taken any political side in Lebanon," she said this morning,
(Friday, 5), "and since we started the race, I've always communicated with
all political groups, Hizbullah, the Christian groups, everyone. This
approach from me shows them there is no threat to anyone. In sports there
is unity, and ours is the only platform which shows unity in Lebanon. We
have 35 ambassadors running on Sunday (in the shorter events),
representatives from UNIFIL (the UN force in Lebanon).
"We have a 3k race for MP's from both groupings. In parliament, they are at
each others' throats, but on Sunday, you'll see them running together".
The event is also seeking the imprimatur of the world governing body of the
sport, with an IAAF Bronze Label for next year, thus granting it a first
foothold on the ladder of excellence, whose top rungs are occupied by the
marathons in London, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York, the last which,
coincidentally takes place on Sunday too.
But with a start time of 0700 in Beirut (GMT+2), in contrast to an 0940
flag-off in New York (GMT-5), there should be ample time for news and TV
highlights of Beirut to be winging their way round the world before the
Kenyan and Ethiopian speed merchants have even lined up on the Verrazano
Narrows Bridge in the Big Apple.
East Africans should be to the fore in Beirut too. Race Director Mark
Dickinson and Elite Coordinator Antonio Nannoni run a development training
camp in Ethiopia, and the majority of their field comes from there. One of
their first discoveries Alemayehu Shumwe set a course record of 2.12.47 two
years ago, no mean feat considering the heat and humidity here.
But Nannoni has massaged the course, taken out a few corners, and reduced
the amount of time spent in, as he put it, "the boring port area. And we
are hoping for three course records; the men, the women, and the Lebanese
men".
Although it is his debut marathon, hopes are pinned on Abere Chane, from
Addis Ababa, who ran a 61.47 half-marathon in Milano earlier this year. "I
cannot say for sure, because it is my first marathon," he said today, "but
I would like to run 2.10, maybe 2.11".
His colleague, women's favourite, Etaferahu Tarekegn, also from Addis, was
far less circumspect, even dismissing the prospect of bright sunshine and
well over 25C heat at the finish. "The heat is no problem for me. I want to
do 2.30, 2.32". Which would take up to half a dozen minutes off the time of
2.36.46, set by Anastasia Ndereba (Catherine's sister) of Kenya, in 2004.
And if another Kenyan is going to stop an Ethiopian, then step forward, 20
year old Carolyne Chemutai, who only began running three years ago to lose
weight. "And to improve my fitness," she said this morning. "I've lost 18
kilos (40lbs) in three years. I've gone from 71kg to 53kg.
"When I began, my mother said you'll never be able to run. I went to the
Nairobi Marathon last year, I just wanted to finish, but I ran 2.40
(2.40.29 for seventh place), and my mother admitted she was wrong".
###
|
