Dubai, UAE (IAAF) –Although Haile Gebrselassie won both previous Dubai races easily, an overenthusiastic first half ruined his first record attempt, in 2008; and turning into the teeth of a rainstorm at 30k washed out 2009. So Haile goes back for a third attempt at a world record in the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon on January 22, 2010.
The most famous man in Ethiopia – and probably the busiest as well, with all his business ventures – took time out in Addis Abeba last week to sign another contract with Dubai co-organisers, Peter Connerton and Ahmad Al Kamali.
“I think it’s still possible for me to break the world record there,” said Gebrselassie, “but everything has to be right, and I’m not going to spoil my chances by predicting it. I still can’t believe I didn’t break the world record in 2008. Everything was perfect except the pace for the first half of the race, which was too fast. Last year the rain was bad and I wasn’t feeling 100%, so to win and prove I could run well in the wet weather was a bonus for me.”
When the race was upgraded two years ago, with an overall prize pot of two million dollars, marathon record holder Gebrselassie was the obvious target for the organisers. “There are few, if any, greater names in athletics history than Haile Gebrselassie,” said race director Connerton. “So once again we are proud and delighted that he has chosen to make his next marathon appearance in Dubai in three months time.”
“It’s only a short flight from Addis (to Dubai),” said Haile,”the weather is usually beautiful, the course itself is very, very good, and the athletes are treated really well. I’m already training hard, and looking forward to running again in Dubai.
“For the three months leading up to Dubai, I start slowly with a number of long runs. I will then do a month of speed training and by December everything has to be ready. I will do a number of speed “tests,” these are very important to gauge how well I am running and what I still need to do to be absolutely ready for a world record attempt.”
Now 36, Haile has set 26 World records or world bests in a career stretching back to the early 1990s. He had a hesitant start to his marathon career when he launched it in 2002, with a third place in London behind the World record of Khalid Khannouchi. Three years later, fast wins in Amsterdam, Berlin and Fukuoka were offset by two more poor runs in London, ninth (“the worst race of my career”) and a failure to finish, which was later discovered to be due to pollen allergies.
All that was put behind him later that year, 2007, when he returned to Berlin and ran a World record 2:04:26. He improved that the following year, again in Berlin, with the current World record of 2:03:59, adding the first sub-2:04 to an already illustrious barrier breaking career.
In both previous Dubai races, he has been on course for similar sub-2:04 times, only to be thwarted by his own presumption in 2008, and a thunderstorm earlier his year. Undaunted he is preparing for another tilt at a third marathon world record in his third Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon.
“I will do 30-35km maximum road training per day split into morning and afternoon runs. I will also work in the gym – treadmill, cycling, exercising – for around three hours minimum once a week. By the time I start the Dubai Marathon I will weigh 58kg. By the time I finish, I will weigh 54kg.”
The three-time winner of the London Marathon won in 59 minutes, 32 seconds ahead of fellow Kenyan Kiplimo Kimutai (59.44) and Jaouad Gharib (1.00:04).
Commonwealth marathon bronze medallist Dan Robinson was the first British man across the line in 12th.
Jessica Augusto was a surprise winner of the women’s race in 1.09.08.
Ethiopia’s Berhane Adere was second with Ana Dulce Felix of Portugal in third place.
In the wheelchair race, David Weir took over a minute off the course record with a time of 41:34, and the women’s race was won by Amanda McGrory in a time of 49:47.
Lel’s second Great North Run victory indicates that he has finally overcome the problems which have hampered him so far this year.
The 30-year-old Kenyan had been hoping to win the London Marathon for a fourth time but was forced to pull out on the morning of the race because of a hip injury, which also kept him out of the marathon at August’s world championships in Berlin.
“I was well prepared for this race but, as I had not competed for so many months, I was still not certain of what might happen,” said Lel.
“I always felt in control and there was no problems from my hip in what was a very fast race and against a very tough field whom I respected.”
Augusto said she was surprised none of her more experienced rivals attempted to follow her as she made a breakaway with Nikki Chapple after three miles.
“I knew I was in good shape but with so many good Ethiopians and Kenyans here I didn’t expect to get a medal and I was surprised when they did not challenge me when I pulled away,” said the Portuguese 27-year-old European cross-country silver medallist.
“This is the biggest win of my career and to also run my fastest-ever half marathon time is something I am really happy with.” – BBC
His time was two hours, six minutes and eight seconds, but warm conditions ended any hopes of him breaking the record he set in last year’s race.
“I expected more from my opponents, but I made sure I ran my best,” said the 36-year-old Ethiopian.
“The last kilometres were really hard, it was too hot for a new world record.”
He added: “I was tired, I pushed too much.”
Last year, Gebrselassie became the first man to run under two hours, four minutes when he finished in 2:03:59 and slashed 27 seconds off his previous mark.
Kenya’s Francis Kiprop came second in a time of 2:07:04 with Gebrselassie’s compatriot Negari Terfa third in a time of 2:07:41.
The women’s race was another triumph for Ethiopia, with Atsede Habtamu Besuye winning in a time of 2:24:47.
Russia’s Silvia Skvortsova was second in 2:26:24, with another Ethiopian, Mamitu Daska, third in a time of 2:26:38. – BBC
The Los Angeles Dodgers need another win or a Colorado Rockies loss to clinch the NL West title. That final step is proving to be a tricky one.
Los Angeles matched its season high with its fourth consecutive loss Wednesday night, managing just one hit in a 5-0 loss to Clayton Richard(notes) and the San Diego Padres.
The Dodgers failed once again to secure its second consecutive division title for the first time since 1977-78. They beat Pittsburgh 8-4 on Saturday night to wrap up a playoff berth.
“There’s really not a lot to be said,” Los Angeles manager Joe Torre said. “It’s an interesting situation because we haven’t clinched the division but we’re still going to the playoffs. We certainly don’t want to finish the season on a bum note because momentum-wise it doesn’t help you in the postseason.”
The Dodgers’ lead was trimmed to 2 1/2 games by Colorado, which beat Milwaukee 10-6 and now controls its destiny. The Rockies host the Brewers on Thursday before finishing the season with three games against the Dodgers in Southern California.
Los Angeles’ lead for the home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs was cut to a half-game over Philadelphia, which beat Houston 10-3 to clinch the East title.
“You want to win the division, absolutely,” pitcher Jon Garland(notes) said. “It means a lot to everyone on the team, the organization, fans. But it doesn’t matter if we have home field or not because you have to win on the road. If you can’t win on the road, you’re not going to be successful.”
The Dodgers had a six-game lead with seven games remaining after Saturday’s win. Los Angeles has dropped six of eight overall, all on the road to sub-.500 teams.
“We’ll be OK,” Matt Kemp(notes) said. “As soon as we win a game, all the talk will be over and we can get ready for the playoffs. We control what happens to us.”
Kemp’s first-inning single was the only hit against the trio of Richard (5-2), Mike Adams(notes) and rookie Luke Gregerson(notes). Five of San Diego’s eight shutouts have come in September.
Richard, a rookie left-hander acquired from the Chicago White Sox in the Jake Peavy(notes) trade, walked three, struck out two and allowed just one runner to reach second.
“You never want anyone celebrating on your home field,” Richard said. “I know we’re not in position to celebrate, but we wanted to postpone their party.”
Los Angeles has had champagne on ice since Saturday night in Pittsburgh. Unable to wrap up the division to this point, the Dodgers could clinch on their day off if the Rockies lose to the Brewers.
“We’ll take a day off, which we need, get home and loosen up a little bit,” Garland said. “We’ll be fine.”
Kevin Kouzmanoff(notes) hit a three-run homer for San Diego, which has gone 10-4 in September against NL West playoff contenders Los Angeles, Colorado and San Francisco.
“We talked about playing contending teams tough,” Padres manager Bud Black said. “It’s a measuring stick.”
The Dodgers (93-66), who are in the playoffs for the third time in four seasons, have scored one run or less four times in their last six games.
Kouzmanoff hit his 18th homer off Garland (11-13) in the third inning to put the Padres ahead 4-0.
Rookie Everth Cabrera(notes) scored a run on a bizarre play in the fourth. Third baseman Mark Loretta(notes) collided with Cabrera in a rundown. As Loretta fell to the turf, he grabbed Cabrera’s leg while the rookie was attempting to get back to third. Loretta was charged with an error and Cabrera was awarded home on the obstruction call.
Garland allowed five runs, four earned, and seven hits in 3 1-3 innings. – Yahoo
DETROIT — Magglio Ordonez is supposed to help the Detroit Tigers win titles. Eddie Bonine is a bit of a surprise.
Ordonez hit a three-run double, Bonine lasted five innings after a shaky start and the Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins 7-2 on Wednesday night to move closer to the AL Central title.
“You need everyone on your team to step up right now, and that’s what happened tonight,” Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. “Bonine was fantastic — we got more from him than we could have asked — and the offense gave us the runs he needed.”
The Tigers increased their lead to three games over the Twins, and can clinch their first division title since 1987 with a victory in Thursday afternoon’s series finale.
“We’re trying to look at tomorrow’s game like we would any other game,” said Brandon Inge, who had a tying two-run double. “But it is human nature to realize what we can do tomorrow. Even if you don’t want to think about it, you do.”
Detroit finishes the season with a three-game series at home against Chicago. Minnesota returns home to face Kansas City, including an expected matchup with AL Cy Young Award hopeful Zack Greinke.
“It doesn’t look very good right now, but it isn’t over yet,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. “I’m not a math guy, but I believe that tomorrow is a must-win situation.”
Bonine (1-1), making his ninth career start, allowed two runs in the first but shut down the Twins for the rest of his outing. He gave up seven hits, walked two and struck out three.
“This is a great, great feeling,” said Bonine, who earned his first major league win since June 27, 2008. “After the first, I just settled into a groove and tried to attack. The defense made plays and the guys got the big hits.”
The Twins put two runners in scoring position in the final eight innings.
“We really didn’t do a thing after the first inning,” Gardenhire said. “It just didn’t work out tonight.”
Ordonez’s second key hit in consecutive days broke it open in the fifth. The Tigers loaded the bases with one out against Carl Pavano (13-12), who responded by getting Miguel Cabrera to pop up. Ordonez followed with a drive to center to clear the bases and give the Tigers a 7-2 lead.
“That was the killer blow,” Leyland said. “Carl’s been tough on us all year, and he had popped up Cabrera, so if he gets Magglio, it’s a whole different ballgame.”
Ordonez, who was booed by Tigers fans during a poor first half, also had a two-run double in Detroit’s 6-5 victory Tuesday night that salvaged a split of the key day-night doubleheader.
“No one in this clubhouse has ever turned their back on Maggs,” Inge said. “We know what he’s done for this franchise, and we knew he was going to do even more.”
Pavano allowed seven runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. He was 4-0 with a 1.69 ERA in five previous starts against Detroit this year.
“I needed to step up, and I didn’t do the job,” said Pavano, who would be Minnesota’s likely starter if the Twins force a playoff Tuesday at the Metrodome. “They gave me two runs, and that should have been enough. I hope I’ll still get a chance to redeem myself.”
Bonine was hurt in the first by another defensive mistake by center fielder Curtis Granderson, who misplayed a ball in the ninth inning Tuesday night that helped the Twins pull within one.
Bonine retired leadoff hitter Denard Span, but Orlando Cabrera, Joe Mauer and Jason Kubel followed with consecutive singles to give Minnesota a 1-0 lead. Michael Cuddyer walked before Delmon Young lifted a fly ball to deep center field. Granderson turned the wrong way, allowing the ball to sail over his head, but recovered quickly enough to hold the Twins to one run and Jose Morales hit into an inning-ending double play.
“That double play was the turning point of the game,” Bonine said.
The Tigers quickly erased the deficit, scoring four times in the second. Inge had a tying two-run double and Ramon Santiago singled in a pair of runs. – Espn
BEIJING (Reuters) – World number two Rafa Nadal returns to action at the China Open next week but for once the top women will be the biggest earners as the tournament enters a new era as a $6.6 million mixed event.
Nadal had been a doubt due to an abdominal injury but he has confirmed he is fit to top the bill at the ATP event.
However, he will have to vie for attention with most of the world’s best 47 women in one of the WTA’s four new mandatory “crown jewel” tournaments.
“The China Open has got the distinction of having a women’s event that has got $4.5 million in prize money and a men’s event that is less than half of that,” WTA President David Shoemaker told Reuters recently.
“In the long history of tennis there have been too many events where the opposite was true, so we’re pretty proud of that.”
Nadal, who has not played since a U.S. Open semi-final defeat to eventual champion Juan Martin Del Potro last month, won the China Open in 2005 and will have fond memories of the new venue, the Olympic tennis center where he clinched gold last year.
World number four Novak Djokovic and number six Andy Roddick will be among those out to stop the Spaniard claiming his sixth title of the year, while Beijing will be one of the last stops on the tour for retiring 2004 China Open champion Marat Safin.
LOCAL HOPES
The bonus ranking points on offer for the women will be attractive to Serena Williams as she continues her efforts to unseat Dinara Safina as world number one.
Serena and her sister Venus won Olympic doubles gold on their last trip to Beijing and Russia’s Elena Dementieva, who won the women’s singles title, will be another welcoming a return to the venue.
Belgian comeback queen Kim Clijsters has decided to remain at home after last month’s emotional U.S. Open triumph but her compatriot Yanina Wickmayer will play on a wild card.
Wickmayer gets her reward for her surprise run to the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows but the other teenage sensation at the U.S. Open, American Melanie Oudin, will have to get through qualifying.
Local hopes of success will be entirely focused on the women’s draw where the in-form Li Na and former China Open semi-finalists Zheng Jie and Peng Shuai will all be looking to give the home crowds something cheer about.
BEIJING (Reuters) – World number two Rafa Nadal returns to action at the China Open next week but for once the top women will be the biggest earners as the tournament enters a new era as a $6.6 million mixed event.
Nadal had been a doubt due to an abdominal injury but he has confirmed he is fit to top the bill at the ATP event.
However, he will have to vie for attention with most of the world’s best 47 women in one of the WTA’s four new mandatory “crown jewel” tournaments.
“The China Open has got the distinction of having a women’s event that has got $4.5 million in prize money and a men’s event that is less than half of that,” WTA President David Shoemaker told Reuters recently.
“In the long history of tennis there have been too many events where the opposite was true, so we’re pretty proud of that.”
Nadal, who has not played since a U.S. Open semi-final defeat to eventual champion Juan Martin Del Potro last month, won the China Open in 2005 and will have fond memories of the new venue, the Olympic tennis center where he clinched gold last year.
World number four Novak Djokovic and number six Andy Roddick will be among those out to stop the Spaniard claiming his sixth title of the year, while Beijing will be one of the last stops on the tour for retiring 2004 China Open champion Marat Safin.
LOCAL HOPES
The bonus ranking points on offer for the women will be attractive to Serena Williams as she continues her efforts to unseat Dinara Safina as world number one.
Serena and her sister Venus won Olympic doubles gold on their last trip to Beijing and Russia’s Elena Dementieva, who won the women’s singles title, will be another welcoming a return to the venue.
Belgian comeback queen Kim Clijsters has decided to remain at home after last month’s emotional U.S. Open triumph but her compatriot Yanina Wickmayer will play on a wild card.
Wickmayer gets her reward for her surprise run to the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows but the other teenage sensation at the U.S. Open, American Melanie Oudin, will have to get through qualifying.
Local hopes of success will be entirely focused on the women’s draw where the in-form Li Na and former China Open semi-finalists Zheng Jie and Peng Shuai will all be looking to give the home crowds something cheer about.
Matches in the main draw of the women’s event start on Saturday while the ATP event gets going on Monday. – Reuters
The most famous man in Ethiopia – and probably the busiest as well, with all his business ventures – took time out in Addis Abeba last week to sign another contract with Dubai co-organisers, Peter Connerton and Ahmad Al Kamali.