Gebrselassie breaks World Half Marathon record
Haile Gebrselassie, four-times World and twice Olympic 10,000 metres champion, sliced 21 seconds off the World Half Marathon record today at the P.F.Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon and Half-Marathon in Phoenix, Arizona.
Gebrselassie, the 32-year-old Ethiopian, who won the 2001 World Half Marathon title and was the fastest marathon runner of 2005, also smashed Paul Tergat’s 20km record enroute to win the half marathon in a time of 58:55, the first person to break 59 minutes.
Speaking just a couple of days ago, Gebrselassie said he had travelled 12,ooo miles for only one reason: to break the World Half Marathon record.
“There is no better half marathon in the world in January than Arizona,” Gebrselassie, 32, said. “The weather is perfect here for the half marathon; it is very cold in Europe at this time of year. And it is a very wonderful race to take part in. I plan on running a very fast time … It will be a very serious race …”
The previous World record time for the half marathon was set by 18-year-old Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru, who ran 59:16 in Rotterdam last September.
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