Emmanuel Mutai and John Kelai to line-up at the Bupa Great North Run: IAAF Gold Label Road Race
Emmanuel Mutai and John Kelai, the Kenyan duo that specialises in long distance running, are the two names which have been announced as the early contestants for this year’s Bupa Great North Run. The Bupa meet, acknowledged as the world’s most popular Half
Marathon race, has been scheduled to commence on September 18, in Newcastle, UK.
Mutai, the 26-year-old runner, who is a marathon specialist, is regarded as the fourth fastest man to emerge on a 42.195km long track. Initially kicking-off with his career as a half marathon runner, the silver medallist of the 2009 World Championships switched
on to the full version of the race in 2007. The decision to opt for the longer version of the race appeared to be a right one as by the end of 2007, he successfully bagged the Amsterdam Marathon.
In 2010, he finished second on the podium at the London marathon and New York City Marathon, respectively. At the start of this year, he claimed the London Marathon after displaying a course record and his new Personal Best of two hours, four minutes and
40 seconds.
Kelai, on the other hand, is a 34-year-old veteran runner who also specialises in marathon races. He has been a gold medal winner in events like the 2005 Enschede Marathon, 2004 Brussels Marathon and the 2003 Singapore Marathon. The Kenyan, who had also
marked his dominance over the Mumbai Marathon in 2007-2008 and 2010 Commonwealth Games, boasts of a Personal Best of two hours, nine minutes and nine seconds.
While appearing at the Bupa Great North Run in Newcastle, the duo will look forward to follow the footsteps of great Kenyan winners like Mike Musyoki, Martin Lel, Benson Masya, John Mutai and Moses Tanui.
Peter Riley, manager of the Bupa Great North Run, while commenting on Mutai’s participation in the run and referring to his London Marathon win marked earlier this year said, “Without a doubt it was the best performance of Mutai’s career – he kept his cool
and destroyed his opponents in the closing stages. He completely obliterated the previous best time, set by the late Olympic champion Sammy Wanjiru two years earlier.”
Riley, while referring to Mutai’s Half Marathon PB, which stands at one hour and three seconds, said that the Kenyan had a potential to challenge the course record at the Bupa Great North Run. The 59 minute and 05 seconds finish is presently attributed to
Zersenay Tadese, who marked the record in 2005.
Talking about Mutai’s countryman and another strong contender for the Bupa title, Riley said, “I am also expecting great things from Kelai, who showed his future potential with his Commonwealth victory. The Bupa Great North Run offers him the opportunity
to move up a couple of levels, in what I predict will again be a great field.”
At last year’s Bupa Run, it was Haile Gebrselassie who won the title for hitting the finishing line in 59:33 minutes, while the Women’s title was claimed by Ethiopia’s Berhane Adere, who stopped the clock in one hour, eight minutes and 49 seconds.
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