Bring on them all! Gladys Cherono purrs ahead of marathon debut in Dubai
Gladys Cherono poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the women's 10,000 metres at the 2013 IAAF World Championships at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow on August 12, 2013. Cherono has said she is ready for her full marathon debut on January 23, 2015. PHOTO | FILE |
What you need to know:
- Cherono said she is not only aiming at a fast time but a course record too when she takes to the road at the Standard Chartered Bank Dubai Marathon.
- The 31-year-old Kenya Defence Force corporal had also made history at the 2012 Africa Championships, where she became the first woman to win both the 5,000m and 10,000m titles.
- The 2014 Paris Marathon champion Kenenisa Bekele and 2013 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon men’s winner Lelisa Desisa, will field in men’s event.
World Half Marathon champion Gladys Cherono has said she is ready for her full marathon debut on Friday.
Cherono, who is a former 5,000m and 10,000m Africa champion, said she will be targeting the course record when she takes to the road at the Standard Chartered Bank Dubai Marathon.
“I know I will be facing some of the most experienced marathoners, especially from Ethiopia, but I fear nobody because I have done enough preparations,” said Cherono.
Cherono, who won the World Half Marathon title in 1:07:29 in March 2014 in Copenhagen, had in 2013 become the 10th fastest half marathoner of all time when she set her personal best of 1:06:48 at the Prague Half Marathon, the same year she also claimed silver in Moscow at the 10,000m World Championships.
AFRICAN RECORD
The 31-year-old Kenya Defence Force corporal had also made history at the 2012 Africa Championships, where she became the first woman to win both the 5,000m and 10,000m titles.
Cherono told Nation Sport that her performance in Dubai will be the yardstick in determining if she will compete in a marathon or in 10,000m during the World Championships in August in Beijing, China. “After silver in Moscow I want gold, be it on track or road,” declared Cherono.
The 31-year-old Cherono, who jets out on Tuesday for the Middle East, will face the two-time Dubai Marathon winner Aselefech Mergia of Ethiopia, who boasts the course record time of 2:19:31.
They will be joined by defending champion Mulu Seboka (Ethiopia), who won the race in 2:23:12 last year, and 2014 Frankfurt Marathon winner Shewaye Aberu Kebede (PB 2h:22m:21s), also from Ethiopi. Seboka is also the 2014 Toronto Marathon winner.
The 2014 Paris Marathon champion Kenenisa Bekele and 2013 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon men’s winner Lelisa Desisa, will field in men’s event.
