Dubai: Kenyan Moses Cheruiyot Mosop, a former bronze medallist in the 2005 World Championships, has confirmed for the 2013 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, which looks set for a record turnout.
Recently awarded its second consecutive Gold Label status by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the January 25 race is on course to break its own record of 17,141 runners, who competed in January 2012.
“No sooner had the 2012 event finished than we were being asked when registration would open for the 2013 race,” said Event Director Peter Connerton. “As most people are aware, the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon is the only official race over the marathon distance held annually in Dubai and is an event every runner in the emirates wants to be a part of,” he said.
Mosop, who competed for Kenya at the 2004 Olympic Games and went on to take the 10,000-metre bronze at the 2005 World Championships, also won silver at the 2007 IAAF World Cross Country Championships as well as team gold with Kenya in 2007 and 2009.
In Boston last year, Mosop and fellow Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai ran the fastest times ever recorded for a marathon — 2:03:06 and 2:03:02 respectively — shattering the Boston course record by nearly three minutes, although the times were not officially recognised as IAAF rules require marathon records to be established on a loop course like that in Dubai.
“It will be the first time we’ve seen Moses in Dubai but there is no doubting his excellent racing pedigree,” added Connerton. “As well as running superbly in Boston, he also won the Chicago Marathon in 2011 and was selected for the Kenyan Olympic team for London but had to withdraw due to injury.”
Held under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and under the aegis of the Dubai Sports Council, the marathon is expected to see nearly 20,000 runners competing over the three events in January 25.
