2 January 2009
Lagos — Three-time world Half-Marathon record holder, Lornah Kiplagat of The Netherlands has confirmed that she would be running the Glo-Lagos Half Marathon scheduled for February 21, 2009 even as last year's champion, Dieudonné Disi, is already training for the grand prize again in Lagos.
The Glo-Lagos Half Marathon secretariat has already confirmed Kiplagat and Disi would join about forty other elite runners who have sent in their requests to feature in the race. But Kiplagat, in an on-line reply to inquiries last night not only re-confirms her participation but asked Nigerians to watch out for her traditional and now customary celebratory dance that she always performed after a victory.
This is Africa; it is the continent that I have emotional attachment to. It is the land of my birth. I am going there to do what I do best, run and win. I hope to be in Nigeria to take part in the Glo Half Marathon and come out performing my victory dance routine.
As for Disi, a Rwandan while Kiplagat was born in Kabiemit, Kenya, but migrated to the Netherlands in 1999 where she became a Dutch citizen in 2003 and has run for The Netherlands since then.
The 34 year-old Dutch long-distance runner who runs both road and track races currently holds the world records in 5000 meters, 10 mile and 20,000 meters on the road, and the half marathon. She has scored many firsts in athletics including being the first woman to win both the Falmouth and the Peachtree Road Races.
The world champion, who will be making her first outing in Lagos, is a veteran of major city marathons like those of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Osaka and Los Angeles. Kiplagat would have to contend for the female prize with athletes like Lineth Chepkirut who picked the star prize with a time of one hour 12 minutes six seconds, in 2007.
Disi on his part won the first Glo Lagos International Half marathon, in the male category, with a time of one hour, three minutes and five seconds.
Already, the run-up to the event is in top gear with Lagos State Government setting up a high-powered committee to plan the involvement of the state in organisational matters. According to the state's Commissioner for Youth Sports and Social Development, Prince Ademola Adeniji-Adele, the committee will liaise with the Local Organising Committee of the race to prepare grounds for an excellent event that will highlight the beauty and potentials of Lagos as a mega city.
Also, Globacom, the title sponsor of the event, recently held a two-day training for managers of the marathon. Race Director of the -Second from left at the New-York Half Marathon is Kiplagat. She is sandwiched here by competitors from Africa, and many rivals from Asia. Below right, Kiplagat performs her standard dance routine after winning the New York Half Marathon. Bottom left,, last year's Glo men defending champion,Disi, finishing strongly in one of his races last year
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