18th IAAF World Half Marathon Championships - Birmingham 2009

News

In absence of defending champion, history beckons for Radcliffe – World Half Marathon

02 Oct 2009

Monte-Carlo – While the participation of the reigning three-time men’s champion Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea has already been confirmed, sadly due to a persistent knee injury his counterpart in the women’s division, triple-winner Lornah Kiplagat of the Netherlands, will not be taking part in the IAAF / EDF Energy World Half Marathon Championships in Birmingham, UK on Sunday 11 October 2009.

However, as if to fill this breach in quality three-weeks ago Britain’s former three-time champion Paula Radcliffe stepped forward to compete in Birmingham, and with that decision taken an historic opportunity beckons for the 35-year-old who has the chance to become the first four-time winner of the World Half Marathon title.

Radcliffe, who won the World Half Marathon title in Veracruz (MEX) in 2000, Bristol (GBR) in 2001 and Vilamoura (POR) in 2003, presently ranks slightly below both Kiplagat (2006/07/08) and Kenya’s Tegla Loroupe (1997/98/99) in the championship’s history, as the triple victories of the latter two were achieved in consecutive years.

The Briton, who is the holder of the World record for the full marathon distance, is on the road back from a serious toe injury and proved her fitness with a 1:09:45 win over the half marathon in New York on 16 August.

Click on the following link to read the full story on the “IAAF website“http://www.iaaf.org/WHM09/news/kind=101/newsid=54535.html