Paula Radcliffe won the 2005 World Championship Marathon. © www.photorun.net
Ten days before the women’s World Championship marathon kicks off there remains a lingering question: Is Paula Radcliffe going to run it? This Sunday, the British world-record holder (2:15:25 hours) will be running the New York City Half-Marathon—her first race since the New York City Marathon in 2008. Last March, she underwent surgery on her foot. Radcliffe has indicated that she will make the decision regarding the World Championship marathon after her race in New York City this weekend. If she does run it, she will be the clear favorite due to the unfortunate withdrawal of German marathon ace Irina Mikitenko who’s been unable to devote herself to training after the death of her father. The German runner is currently the fastest in the world this year with her time of 2:22:11 which she ran in London this past April.
If Radcliffe runs in Berlin, she will certainly have to face a strong Ethiopian contingent. Included in the Ethiopian squad are this year’s Dubai Marathon champion, Bezunesh Bekele, whose personal best is 2:23:09 along with Dire Tune. Tune, now 24, won the Boston and Houston marathons in 2008. This April, she finished second at Boston in an exciting finish. In contrast to past years, Tune has only run one marathon in 2009 which should make her better prepared for a championship race. “We used to have all sorts of problems in the past with team selection. There used to be tension and we would be suspicious of each other. It’s been different this year, things have changed. I am confident of how my training has gone and believe we can dominate the race in Berlin. I think it’s possible we could even win all three medals,” Tune told the IAAF. The Ethiopian has also won the prestigious Ras Al Khaimah Half-Marathon in the United Arab Emirates this year, bringing her best time down to 67:18 minutes and setting a national record.
While there’s no major favorite among Kenya’s marathon squad for the World Championships, there may be a surprise from American. Kara Goucher, who won a bronze medal in the 10,000m at the 2007 World Championships, stands an outside chance at a medal. In her first marathon last November, the New York City Marathon, Goucher finished an impressive third with a 2:25:33. She finished third again in Boston in April in an amazing sprint finish in the final kilometers. Goucher recently proved her winning form at the Chicago Half-Marathon when she won in 68:05. No American woman has ever won the marathon at the World Championships which makes it even more special for Goucher were she to win it.
The Japanese are traditionally strong in the marathon. Their team for Berlin includes Yoko Shibui, winner of the 2004 Berlin Marathon in what was then a national record of 2:19:41. Yoshimi Ozaki (personal best: 2:23:30) and Yuri Kano (2:24:27) are also in the mix.
The Chinese women are fielding a very strong squad as well. Zhou Chunxiu (Personal Best: 2:19:51), who finished third in the Beijing Olympics in 2008 is their fastest-seeded runner. Bai Xue, who is only 20, has already run a 2:23:27which she set last year.
