GazetteSPORT all of your blanch sports coverage from page 27-31
back in business: St Brigid’s inter and junior hurlers start season with series of league wins P31
April 11, 2013
Ciaran’s legacy: Launch of new foundation to prevent SADS in sport P29
Olympic double gold medallist at 5,000 and 10,000 in 2004 and 2008, Kenenisa Bekele will be in action to defend his title in the Great Ireland Run this weekend
Race legends in the park Gold medallists, marathon and cross-country champions converge on Phoenix Park for the 2013 SPAR Great Ireland Run this weekend sport@gazettegroup.com
DOUBLE Olympics gold medallist Kenenisa Bekele will be the star attraction at this year’s Spar Great Ireland Run next Sunday in the Phoenix Park. The Ethiopian returns to the city looking to defend the title he won a year ago in a course record time of 27 minutes and 49 seconds, adding to a glittering list of wins during his career. He claimed the Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 metres doubles on two occasions, 2004 and 2008, and was fourth place finisher in the London Olympics last year. As such, he is considered by many as the greatest distance runner of all time is the current world record holder at 5,000 metres and
10,000 metres. He took a break after London and is now focusing his training on qualifying for and then competing in the World Championships 10,000 metres in Moscow in August. Dublin represents an important phase in his preparations for his qualifying bid in the US next month, but he will face a stern test as he defends his title against current world 10,000 metre champion and fellow Ethiopian Ibrahim Jeilan, who has a personal best time of 27 minutes and two seconds. He will also face the rapidly improving Australian Collis Birmingham who finished in eighth place in the World Cross Country Championships last week, Abderrahim Bouramdane from Morocco, fourth placed in the 2011 World Championships marathon and
nine times European crosscountry champion Sergiy Lebid of Ukraine. The home challenge will be led by Mark Kenneally of Clonliffe Harriers, Ireland’s top marathon runner and 2012 Olympian, and Paul Robinson (St Coca’s AC), the fastest Irish 1,500 metre runner in 2012. On the women’s side, Fionnuala Britton has had to withdraw from the event due to fatigue following a long, successful cross-country and indoor season. After consultations with her coach, she has decided that a very competitive road 10k at this time could adversely affect her preparations for the forthcoming track season and she has regretfully decided not to compete. Defending champion Gemma Steel of Great
Britain will still face a very stiff challenge from Ireland’s European Championships gold-medal team members Linda Byrne, Ava Hutchinson and Lizzie Lee. Meanwhile, as part of the SPAR Great Ireland Run’s commitment to keeping athletics in the public eye, an elite men’s mile has been added to the event programme and will precede the 10k run on Chesterfield Avenue in the Park. This new race will bring competition out of the stadium and is intended to make the sport more accessible. The mile will feature 15 top runners from Ireland and Britain including Robinson, Colin Costello, and former European Junior 1,500 metre champion, Anthony Whitehead.