FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ethiopians Determined To End Kenyan Dominance In Men's Race At
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon
TORONTO. September 13th. The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon has
announced a strong Ethiopian contingent for their event on September 26th,
ready to challenge Kenyan male supremacy in the Canadian metropolis. Kenyan
men have triumphed for the past 5 years in a row on the flat, fast Toronto
Waterfront course. Chala Lemi and Gashaw Melese Asfaw, who were 2nd and
3rd in last year's race, are both confirmed to return. They were passed in
the later stages by Kenneth Mungara, who had to run the fastest marathon on
Canadian soil to beat them [2:08:32]. They will be joined by Teshome
Gelana and Zembaba Yigeze who ran 1st and 2nd in Houston in January.
The Ethiopians are determined to turn the tables and secure a men's victory
in Toronto, despite the earlier announcement of Mungara's return, and his
attempt to make it 3 consecutive victories in his favourite city. Mungara
will be joined by countryman Daniel Rono and 4 other Kenyans who have run
under 2:10 in the past 12 months. Last September, the youthful 23 year old
Lemi finished just 17 seconds back in a PR of 2:08:49. It was his first
sub-2:09 performance. Coached by Haji Adilo in Addis, Lemi says his
training has gone well: "I'm ready for Toronto, to come back and this year
go one better!" However, it is Teshome Gelana who actually goes to the
Start line as pre-race favourite at 5-2 odds, following his impressive
victory in Houston in January in 2:07:37. Houston was a major breakthrough
performance for the 25 year-old Teshome, following a 2:12:03 last Fall in
Warsaw and a 2:11:50 in Reims and a 2:13 in Turin, both in 2008. "I changed
my coach and started training under Haji Adilo where I found myself in an
excellent setting and training with a great competitive group," said
Gelana. "I was in great shape in Houston and it was a great win for me,
despite being a late entry. The best part was breaking my teammate, Deriba
Merga's, course record. I am ready for Toronto and will race to win." In
Houston, Gelana's training partner, the 26-year old Zimbaba Yigeze, also
set a new PR of 2:08:27. He then followed that up very consistently with a
7th place finish in Paris in April in 2:08:48.
"We are very excited about the strength of the Ethiopian men's group this
year, and the prospect of a thrilling battle with their Kenyan arch
rivals," said Race Director Alan Brookes. "Hopefully they will push each
other to a new Canadian All-comers record. Not only do we have three
outstanding young marathoners in Gelana, Lemi and Yigeze, but we have the
invaluable experience of Gashaw Melese who really helped make last year's
race."
When the last pace maker slipped and fell just before 30km in last year's
contest, and the pace began to slow, it was Melese who took control and
started to push. Lemi went with him. The two worked together until Melese
began to slip back after 35k. Mungara then came through to first pick off
the fading veteran and then get by Lemi approaching 38k. Melese, who will
celebrate his 32nd birthday the day before the race, provides a wealth of
international experience at the top level. Besides winning Paris in 2006
in his PR of 2:08:03, he placed 7th in the torrid Beijing Olympic marathon,
has finished 6th in Boston both of the last 2 years, and won Shanghai in
2008 and '09.
To claim victory and the special laurel wreath being brought from Marathon,
Greece, as part of the 2,500th Anniversary celebrations of marathon, the
Ethiopian pack will have to get by Mungara, Rono, Jafred Chirchir (2:09:15,
1st in Milan this Spring), Nixon Machichim (2:09:08, 3rd in Rome in
March), David Njagi (2:09:44 1st in Valencia in February), and David Tarus
(2:09:24 in Eindhoven last Fall). Daniel Rono was the 2006 champion at
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront, then lost a thrilling sprint to the line in
2007 to John Kelai, as Kelai broke the 31-year old, previous Canadian
All-comers mark with his 2:09:30 win. Disappointed, Rono went onto run
2:06:58 in Rotterdam, then place 3rd in New York and 2nd at Boston '09.
As a sub-plot, already-announced Canadians Eric Gillis, Reid Coolsaet and
Matt Loiselle will provide an important race within the race. Gillis made
his marathon debut in Houston running a cautiously impressive 2:13:52. His
training partner at Guelph's Speed River Track Club, served notice at last
month's Parkersburg Sentinel Half Marathon where he ran 2nd on a very
tough, hilly course in 63:47, with Gillis two minutes back in 6th. Both
will be aiming for a qualifying time for the London 2012 Olympic marathon,
with the standards expected to be published by Athletics Canada on
September 23rd, with the qualifying window to begin September 1st, 2010.
They are also hoping to come close to Jerome Drayton's 1975 Canadian
national record of 2:10:09, with a $35,000 bonus on offer from Scotiabank.
The Canadians are likely to be pushed by Mexico's #1 marathoner, Alejandro
Suarez. Like Gillis, Suarez represented his country in the 10,000m at the
Beijing Olympics. He is also hoping to challenge the 2:10 mark after his
10th place finish in Boston in April in 2:12:33.
For a complete Start List, interested punters are encouraged to go to
"STWM2010 Pick the Champions Contest" on the race website. It's free to
enter, and you can make as many entries as you like. You simply have to
select the top 3 men and women finishers in the correct order. The prize -
a trip for two to your favourite Canada Running Series event in 2011, in
Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal.
http://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/en/pickthechamps_bios.htm
There are still some places available to enter the marathon or half
marathon. For those unable to travel to Toronto Waterfront, there will be a
"live" webcast carried on the race website and also on Flotrack.org,
beginning at 7h15 on Sunday, September 26th.
www.stwm.ca
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