L. MathekaChelimo eyeing podium finish in half marathon debut
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Reading Time: 3min | Sat. 02.04.22. | 18:40
Ethiopia’s Haftu Teklu will be among the leading athletes in the men's race as he looks to defend his title.
World 5000m silver medalist Margaret Chelimo makes her half marathon debut on Sunday 3 April at the Barcelona half marathon (eDreams Mitja Marató de Barcelona), a World Athletics Elite Label event.
In the absence of multiple world record-holder Genzebe Dibaba, who withdrew from the entry list a few weeks ago due to injury, her fellow Ethiopian Asnakesh Awoke, third last year in 1:07:47, emerges as one of the favourites.
Well, whoever adjusted the Barcelona half marathon countdown clock for daylight saving time last weekend did it the wrong way 🤣🤣🤣
— Roy Dickinson (@RJohnDickinson) April 2, 2022
But it is, in fact exactly 24 hours to go before tomorrow’s race. 😃 It’s going to be bright, sunny …. and freezing cold. pic.twitter.com/eYBhjM2BVR
The 26-year-old was runner-up the previous year in a PB of 1:07.04 and should be eager to improve on her previous appearances and take top spot
However, Chelimo, a 29:50 10km specialist is expected to present a tough test for the favourite. The 29-year-old has shown great form recently, with podium places at the Atapuerca and Italica cross country races on Spanish soil.
More recently, Chelimo came second during the national cross country championships in Eldoret in January.
Ethiopia's Gete Alemayehu, holder of a 1:08:23 personal best, might well complete the podium.
Spain's Alejandro Rodriguez, a former 1:45:97 800m specialist, will be in charge of the pacing duties, aiming to cover the opening 10km at 3:06/3:08 pace in the hunt for a sub-1:06:00 final time. The course record stands at 1:05:09, which was then a world record, set by Kenya's Florence Kiplagat in 2015.
🏃 Ready, set, go! 🏃♀️ The eDreams Barcelona Half Marathon passes through the city’s most iconic streets. 🥰 Have you signed up yet? 🗓️ It's this Sunday! @mitjabarcelona https://t.co/bDy6NnbCpi pic.twitter.com/9w6cWy9LLh
— Visit Barcelona (@VisitBCN_EN) March 30, 2022
Meawhile, Ethiopia’s Haftu Teklu will be among the leading athletes in the men's race as he looks to defend his title.
The 26-year-old won in style last October, setting a course record of 59:39 on his debut over the distance. Teklu has competed twice in 2022 over shorter distances indoors, setting PBs of 3:39:47 for 1500m in Sabadell and 7:52:10 for 3000m in Torun last month.
world-beating champions from various services and regions.
— National Police Service-Kenya (@NPSOfficial_KE) January 22, 2022
Margret Chelimo of NPS' posted an impressive time of 34:01:8 to clinch the second position in the 10 kilometers Women's race, one second behind Joyce Chepkemoi.
The 10 kilometres women's team registered a 4th position. pic.twitter.com/XdUSw09mQk
Back to his specialist event, the Ethiopian athlete will be aiming for an improvement on his performance last year to grab back-to-back titles.
“Last year, the organisers gave me the chance to make my debut here and I managed to win,” he said. “I am now a more experienced athlete, I already know the circuit and I'll be targeting a quicker performance on Sunday.”
Teklu heads a powerful Ethiopian squad which includes another two athletes who have dipped under the 60-minute barrier – Abe Gashahun (59:46) and Antenatyehu Dagnachew (59:48) – alongside last year's third-place finisher Regasa Chala (1:00:38) and debutants Gebru Redahgne and Teresa Nyakora.
Kenya's Titus Mbishei, fresh from a 1:01:53 clocking in Ras Al Khaimah in February, joins them, as do Eritrea's Berhane Tesfay (1:00:54) and Uganda's Ali Chebres.
Burundi's Thierry Ndikumwenayo, recent victor in Serradilla at the closing event of this season's World Athletics Cross Country Tour, will be the opening pacemaker, while Kazakhstan's Shadrack Koech, a 1:00:12 athlete, should lead the front group to 15km at a brisk rhythm.
