By Jörg Wenig
Exciting races are in store for the European Athletics Championships, which begin in Barcelona on Tuesday. Mo Farah of the United Kingdom and Turkey’s Elvan Abeylegesse are the favorites in the 5,000m and 10,000m races, but the men’s and women’s marathons remain wide open.
Men’s Marathon
Jose Manuel Martinez could be the best of the Spanish marathon runners in Barcelona. © www.photorun.net
The men’s marathon kicks off on Sunday, the final day of the European Championships. Nearly 20 athletes are considered contenders for a medal. The race starts at 10:05 a.m. which means that the latter stages of the races will take place in mid-day heat, leaving the outcome all the more difficult to predict. The race’s two decisive factors will be who can cope best with the heat and who can make the most of their closing speed.
The three fastest runners in the men’s field have personal bests under 2:08 hours. However, Stefano Baldini, Viktor Röthlin, and Jose Rios haven’t come close to their best times for quite a while, so it remains uncertain whether or not they will be viable medal contenders. The defending champion, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist, Stefano Baldini (Italy), is making a comeback after retiring from the marathon following the 2008 Olympics. The Swiss, Viktor Röthlin, was the top European marathoner in 2007 and 2008, but has since struggled with injury.
Of the three fastest European marathoners, José Rios has the best chance to medal. The
36-year-old Spaniard ran his fastest marathon, 2:07:42, in 2004. He finished second at last year’s Lake Biwa marathon in Japan (2:10:36). He will be one of six Spaniards on the start line since the race includes the team competition for the European Cup. Jose Manuel Martinez, whose best time is 2:08:09 hours, is an additional Spanish runner expected to do well on Sunday.
With high temperatures expected, the Portuguese runners are certainly worth watching as well with Alberto Chaica likely to be that country’s strongest man with a personal best of 2:09:25. The Italians Daniele Caimmi (with a 2:08:59 personal best), Ruggero Pertile (2:09:53), and the Polish duo of Henryk Szost (2:10:27) and Adam Draczynski (2:10:49), could also be factors in the deep field.
Günther Weidlinger could be a strong contender as well in ideal running conditions. The Austrian marathon record holder was suffering with a calf problem at the Vienna City Marathon last April, but still finished in a respectable 2:14:05. In Frankfurt last October he ran 2:10:47.
Women’s Marathon
Anna Incerti hopes to celebrate the greatest success of her career by winning the marathon. © www.photorun.net
One of Europe’s best female marathon runners has decided to compete in another distance in Barcelona. Liliya Shobukhova will run the 10,000 meter on Wednesday before preparing to defend her title at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in October. If the Russian places first there, she will also win the World Marathon Majors series (WMM).
The favorites on Saturday come from three nations: Russia, Italy, and Portugal. The Russians are usually strong championship racers. Irina Timofeyeva has a best of 2:24:14. Two years ago, she finished a strong seventh in the Olympic marathon. Her compatriots, Tatyana Pushkareva (best time: 2:26:14 for second place in Boston this April) and Silviya Skvortsova (2:26:24), also have a good chance to be among the leaders.
The Italian squad includes the former Vienna City Marathon champion Rosaria Console (best time: 2:26:45 for fourth at the 2009 real,- Berlin Marathon), Anna Incerti (2:27:42), and Deborah Toniolo (2:28:31). Anna Incerti is the top Italian hope in the marathon. After a solid 14th place at the 2008 Olympics, she won the Milano City Marathon, setting what is still her personal best. In 2009 the 30 year old suffered setbacks, but now, along with Rosaria Console, she could play a leading role in the European Championships.
Marisa Barros of Portugal is another runner to be counted among the favorites. She improved her best to 2:25:44 with a runner-up spot at the Osaka Marathon in January. Portugal also has entered Ana Dias (2:28:49) and the 41-year-old Fernanda Ribeiro (2:29:48), the Olympic 10,000-meter champion in 1996. The 36-year-old Romanian, Lidia Simon, has the fastest time in the field with 2:22:54, but she ran this time ten years ago.
Men’s Long Distance Track Races
Mo Farah (center) is the top favorite for the 10,000m. © www.photorun.net
On the opening day of the European Championships, Mo Farah will be trying to end a historic drought. Despite their great traditions in long distance running, no British runner has ever won a continental title over 10,000m. Mo Farah is aiming to do just that on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old Briton heads into the race as one of the favorites. He leads the European rankings for the year with a time of 27:28.86 minutes, ahead of his compatriot, Chris Thompson, who has found a surprising surge of form to clock 27:29.61. The resurgent British squad may even manage to win two medals.
Mo Farah, who was a clear winner in the 10,000m race at the European Cup in June, may have to push the pace during the second half of the race in order to secure his best chances of victory. Going into the 5,000m—where he finished as the top European in seventh place at last year’s World Championships—he has strong basic speed at his command.
Not to be overlooked considering their adaptability to warm-weather running are runners from the Iberian Peninsula. The current Spanish 10,000m, Ayad Lamdassem, should have the best chances to medal, while Rui Silva is the strongest Portuguese runner. The young Italian, Andrea Lalli, could also play a leading role.
Jan Fitschen of Germany is making his comeback just at the right time. After winning his European title in sensational style in 2006, Jan has battled persistent injuries. But he secured a qualifying time along with Christian Glatting and Filmon Ghirmai and leads the German rankings for the year with 28:32.20. However, strong competition from British and southern European runners might make it difficult for Jan Fitschen to finish in the top ten.
After the 10,000m final, Mo Farah will decide whether he’ll double the 5,000m. If he does decide to run, he’ll also be one of the favorites for this event. This might set up a further contest between himself and Spaniard Alemayehu Bezabeh. At the European Cross Country Championships last December, Alemayehu Bezabeh triumphed ahead of Mo Farah. The Spaniard is the top hope for a gold medal in the long distance events for the host nation. Spain also has Sergio Sanchez in the race. He proved a sensation in the 3,000m during the indoor season and finished runner-up at the World Indoor Championships.
Alemayehu Bezabeh leads the European rankings for the year with 12:57.25, ahead of Mo Farah (13:05.66). Approximately six runners have season’s bests between 13:11 and 13:24, which makes them medal contenders.
Women’s Long Distance Track Races
Elvan Abeylegesse should prove unbeatable in the 10,000m. © www.photorun.net
Two years ago at the Olympic Games, Elvan Abeylesse won two long-distance medals. The Turkish runner finished second in the 5,000m and 10,000m, beaten only by Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia). Elvan Abeylesse is aiming for two gold medals in Barcelona. She is scheduled to double the 10,000m on Wednesday and 5,000m on Sunday.
In the 10,000m, German runners have a chance for a medal: Sabrina Mockenhaupt, who will be facing a number of opponents of similar quality in the Barcelona heat.
Elvan Abeylegesse, who hasn’t run a 10,000m this season, is the overwhelming favorite for the gold medal. The European record holder and fourth-fastest woman of all time over 25 laps (best time: 29:56.34 minutes) has the ability to win from the front by setting a brisk opening pace.
A fast race would make it harder for Sabrina Mockenhaupt to win a medal—especially if the Portuguese runners take turns setting the pace. One of them, Ines Monteiro, is the leader of the European rankings for the year with 31:13.58. However, she is not a definite starter. Her compatriots Jessica Augusto (31:19.15) and Sara Moreira (31:26.55) are of matched ability with Sabrina Mockenhaupt, whose best time this year is 31:23.86. The Russian marathoners, Liliya Shobukhova and Inga Abitova, may also play a role in this event.
Elvan Abeylegesse is also the fastest runner on the start list for the 5,000m with 14:24.68. Three other athletes have the best chances of silver and bronze medals behind Elvan: Jessica Augusto, who like Elvan Abeylegesse is going for a double, as well as Mariya Konovalova (Russia), and Alemitu Bekele (Turkey). There’ll be a lot of interest to see how Karoline Grovdal performs in Barcelona. The young Norwegian is entered in both the 5,000m and 10,000m events, having won the junior title at the European Cross Country Championships last December.
