Dubai: The organisers of the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon are pulling out all the stops to ensure that a new world record is set when the race takes place here on January 22.
With Haile Gebrselassie having revealed that he aims to break his world record of 2hours 03:59minutes at the Dubai Marathon, officials are setting up an environment to ensure that the existing record, set at Berlin on September 28, 2008, is broken.
"The best pacemakers are being flown in to ensure that Gebrselassie is able to go for the record at the required pace. We have also included some of the finest runners to race along with Gebrselassie to make sure that he does not slacken at any stage due to lack of stiff competition," said Ahmad Al Kamali, the General Co-ordinator of the Dubai Marathon.
"With the best pace makers ahead of him and the best runners racing along with him or just behind him we can expect the best time ever.
"Sammy Korir from Kenya, who had raced into the history books with a timing of 2:04:56 during the Berlin Marathon, will be running here. Gebrselassie will be aware that Korir will be just behind his shoulder and should maintain a good speed," added Kamali.
Among the other world-class runners are Kenyans Joshua Chelenga and Daniel Yego. Chelenga won the 2007 Rotterdam Marathon clocking 2:08:21 and then went on to better his timing to 2:07:05 while Yego has recorded a personal best of 2:08:16 in Rome Marathon. They will be challenged by Ethiopian Chele Dechasa with a best of 2:08:31.
"With four fastest runners competing no one will at any stage slow down. Dubai's flat course can also provide the right setting. Everything depends on how fast the first half is and if the runners can set a fantastic pace then we can hope for a new record," he said.
With the marathon set to start at 6.30am and the world record at 2:03:59, all eyes will be on the clock at around 8.30am near the new finish line outside the Al Thuraya Tower, close to Dubai Media city.
