The Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Haile Gebrselassie will compete in January in the US$2 million Dubai Marathon, the world’s richest running race, the organizers said Thursday.

The Ethiopian long-distance runner became the first man to run a marathon under 2 hours, 4 minutes last week in Berlin and will have the chance to win a US$1 million bonus if he sets a new world record in Dubai. The marathon also has a $1 million prize fund.

Last year in Dubai, the 35-year-old Ethiopian won in 2 hours, 4 minutes, 53 seconds.

“His appearance in Dubai in January this year took the standing of the Dubai Marathon to a new level,” said Ahmed Al Kamali, Dubai Marathon general coordinator and president of the Emirates Athletics Federation.

“I’m sure we’ll see more of the same in three months time and we’ll do all we can to give him every chance of breaking the world record in Dubai,” he said.

Gebrselassie set his 26th world record when he won the Berlin Marathon last week with a time of 2:03.59, shaving 27 seconds off his own record, set in the same race in 2007.