http://www.iaaf.org/news/iaaf-news/world-half-marathon-copenhagen-zersenay-tades
14 MAR 2014 Iaaf News Copenhagen, Denmark Two weeks to go to Copenhagen -
IAAF/AL-Bank World Half Marathon Championships
With two weeks to go until the *2014 IAAF/AL-Bank World Half Marathon
Championships* in Copenhagen, Denmark, five-time winner Zersenay Tadese has
revealed he will be vying for an unprecedented sixth individual gold medal.
Without doubt the most successful athlete in the history of the event, the
Eritrean is the reigning champion. He also holds the championship record of
58:59, set in 2007 in Udine in a race that remains one of the greatest ever
half marathons in terms of depth.
Tadese's first victory came in 2006 when the event went through a slight
change in format and name. Held in the Hungarian city of Debrecen, the
races were slightly reduced to 20km and the name of the event changed to
the IAAF World Road Running Championships.
Although the name remained in place for one more year, the distance moved
back up to the half marathon in 2007 and one year later the name reverted
back to the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.
Tadese won two more gold medals in 2008 and 2009, but his streak came to an
end in 2010 when he was surprisingly defeated by Kenya's Wilson Kiprop.
He returned to winning ways in Kavarna two years ago though, standing on
the top step of the podium once more at the World Half Marathon
Championships.
Tadese will renew his rivalry with the 2010 victor in Copenhagen as Kiprop
was recently announced as part of a strong Kenyan line-up for the event.
Although the event will be missing Kenya's Florence Kiplagat, who last
month broke the half marathon world record*with 1:05:12 in Barcelona, the
women's race will still feature a host of some of the world's best athletes
over the distance with strong teams from Kenya and Ethiopia.
For just the second time in the history of the championships, the 2014
edition is being held in the spring. This year's contest will also be
combined with a mass participation race. About 25,000 people from around
the world will take to the streets right behind the elite fields as
recreational runners are given a rare opportunity to be a part of a global
championships race.
The course in the Danish capital is fast, flat and scenic. Starting in
front of the Danish Parliament at Christiansborg Castle, the runners will
go uptown to Frederiksberg, the steepest part of the course. After passing
the Frederiksberg Town Hall they turn left on to Frederiksberg Avenue as
they head back to the heart of Copenhagen. In the final two kilometres
athletes will pass the Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen Town Square and the
Danish National Museum before crossing the finish line in front of
Christiansborg Castle.
*IAAF*
**subject for the usual ratification procedures*
Received on Sat Mar 15 2014 - 12:53:49 EDT