Geoffrey Mutai to challenge Deriba Merga at the Media Maraton de Bogota - Athletics news
With the commencement of the Media Maraton de Bogota this Sunday, on July 31, spectators of the race will look forward to see Geoffrey Mutai challenging Deriba Merga, the defending champion of the event for the race title. The meet, which is expected to
present a heated clash between Kenya and Ethiopia, who are traditional rivals, is regarded as the only IAAF Gold Label Road Race in South America.
Merga, the 30-year-old long distance runner from Ethiopia, who had marked his emphatic debut five years ago at the Paris Half Marathon and had bagged the title for clocking 60 minutes and 45 seconds, claimed the top position on the podium in Bogota pretty
easily last year. Enjoying a solo run for about 4 kilometers, he hit the finishing line in one hour, two minutes and 31 seconds. However, getting away with a top position this season may not be that easy for him.
Mutai, the 29-year old Kenyan, is a specialist road runner who has been undefeated this year. Kicking-off with his success in Boston this April, he clocked an effort of two hours, three minutes and two seconds for the title, where he emerged as the fastest
finisher of the marathon run. The winner of the Monaco Marathon has also been matchless in shorter meets as he has prevailed in events like the Inaugural Boston 10km contest and the Castelbuono competition in Italy.
The field put together this year comprises of some unpredictable performers like Isaac Macharia, who has already marked four successes in this event and is well aware of the features of the track and Wilson Chebet, the title holder of the Rotterdam Marathon
2011. Adding up to the heat will be Morocco’s Ridouane Harroufi and USA’s Mohamed Trafeh.
Women athletes in the Media Maraton de Bogota will consist of Ethiopia’s Shewarge Alene, along with Mare Dibaba, Peninah Arusei and Joyce Chepkirui. The meet will also represent a traditional fight, where Kenya and Ethiopia will grapple to bag the title.
In presence of such a formidable field, the meet record at Bogota will certainly come under severe threat this season.
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