The 'White Kenyan' raring to leave his stamp

When it comes to marathons no single denomination dominates the way the Africans do. In fact, a non-African runner among the top-10 finishers in a race is a genuine rarity.

But this is exactly the scene Viktor Rothlin wants to carve a niche for himself in.

The Swiss is considered one of the world's elite long-distance athletes and poses a legitimate threat to his "African friends" every time he enters a race. It will be the same when he turns out in this morning's RAK Half Marathon, the world's richest half-marathon at $413,000 (Dh1.5 million), which starts at Manar Mall in the northern emirate of Ras Al Khaimah at 7.20am.

Rothlin's numerous training stints in Kenya alongside two-time London Marathon winner Martin Lel have helped him run the African way. And if there is one "outsider" to watch in today's race it is none other than the "White Kenyan", a name Rothlin has earned due to the amount of time he spends in the Eastern African nation.

Despite the camaraderie he shares with his African brethren, competition is what Rothlin really lives for.

"There's a lot to learn and I have learnt quite a bit during my years of training in close quarters with Lel and the rest of Africa's top runners. They are always happy to see me and they say, 'Look, Viktor runs like a Kenyan'," said Rothlin, 34, whose achievements include a silver medal at the 2006 European Championships and a bronze at the 2007 World Championships.

Rothlin also placed sixth in the Men's Olympic Marathon in Beijing, a position he is very proud of.

"At the Olympics in Beijing, I was the first white runner and I finished just six seconds behind Lel. I was very happy about that, but they [Africans] don't care about times they just want to run. We white runners look at the time and that's the biggest thing I learnt during my time in Kenya. I try to run a perfect race and I know the time will be fast if I run a perfect race."

Winner of the 2008 Tokyo Marathon, Rothlin hopes to carry lessons learnt in RAK into April's Flora London Marathon. "This Friday will teach me a lot about myself. I haven't decided on Berlin, but what I do here will be useful when I run in London. I have a big goal [the European record], so I am looking to perform well in Friday's race."

Patrick Makau is the defending champion here; having won last year's race courtesy of a photo finish from Tsegaye Kebede of Ethiopia after the pair clocked an identical 59.35 minutes.

Bidding to stop Makau from clinching a second-straight title will be compatriots Paul Kosgei, Wilson Kiprotich Kipsang, Francis Kibiwott, Wilson Chebet, John Kiprotich, Charles Munyeki and Joseph Maregu, Ethiopia's Deriba Merga and Tanzanian Dickson Marwa.

Salina Kosgei, who won the women's category last year, also needed a photo finish to set her apart from countrywoman Pamela Chepchumba and Ethiopia's Arsede Habtamu.