Kenyan stringent turns the Edinburgh 10k Race into a formidable challenge for rivals: Athletics news
With the BUPA Great Edinburgh 10k Run kicking-off on this Sunday, Andrew Lemoncello, the runner from Scotland and Freya Murray face a formidable challenge in the form of their Kenyan counterparts on the way to the top of the podium.
Lemoncello and Murray, in the event, will be joined by Kenyan counterparts like Martin Mathathi and Lucy Kabuu, who marked their dominance at the Great North Run on Tyneside just about a week ago. Accompanying them on the run will be formidable duo of John
Kelai and Irene Jerotich, who happened to be the Commonwealth marathon champions last year.
For the interest of readers, it is worth mentioning that Titus Mbishei, winner of last year’s men’s event at the Edinburgh 10k challenge will also line-up against the field to defend his title.
Murray, the girl who had been marred by injuries after representing Scotland in last year’s Commonwealth games in Delhi, is not fully fit as yet, and thus, organisers are not sure whether she will be able to make it in the event or not. Commenting upon her
physical fitness the 28-year runner said, “I’ve been a bit bothered this week by my back and hip”.
The elegant runner, who had been out of the game for last five months or so, marked an impressive half marathon finishing time of 72:44 minutes in the Great North Run. Considering the fact that this was her debut performance over the distance, her finish
speaks volumes about her skill and running potential.
If she manages to appear on the track, Murray will have plenty of rivalry and hindering her way from marking a success will be athletes like Helen Clitheroe, the English runner who bagged this year’s Great Manchester Run and was fifth in Great North Run,
along with Charlotte Purdue.
On Men’s side, the event will bring a do or die situation for Lemoncello, who is running out of time to mark a qualifying effort for next year’s London Olympics Marathon, as the athlete had to withdraw his name from the World Championships in Athletics in
Daegu. While running at the Edinburgh meet, the athlete will strive to observe a finish well below 30 minutes.
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