Haile Gebrselassie, the world's greatest-ever distance runner will contest
the BUPA Great Manchester Run on May 22.
"The Emperor" as he is nicknamed in his native Ethiopia, during a brilliant
career has set 18 world records on outdoors indoors and on the roads.
Gebrselassie's awesome career has also seen him twice win the Olympic 10000
metres title and four-times crowned World champion over the distance.
The African star who celebrated his 32nd birthday on Monday is also holder
of the world 10 kilometres road race record - the distance over which he
will compete in Manchester.
Gebrselassie, in December 2002, achieved the phenomenal mark of 27minutes
02minutes in Doha - Arab sponsors rewarding him with a bonus of US one
million dollars.
"I'm looking forward to competing in Manchester as I have been told it is a
great event and the course is fast," said Gebrselassie who started the Flora
London Marathon's women's race last Sunday.
There Gebrselassie with his agent Jos Hermens took the opportunity to
finalise his appearance on the streets of Manchester with race organisers.
Now he is scheduled to line-up against Italy's Olympic marathon gold
medallist Stefano Baldini and Sergiy Lebid the five-times European Cross
Country champion from the Ukraine.
"It's a great coup getting Haile to come to the meeting," said Matthew
Turnbull, athletics director of the Great Manchester Run. "It's an event
that has established itself on the worldwide athletics calendar already."
He added: "The race compared to others is still relatively in its infancy.
But we always said our intention when it began two years ago was to ensure
it grew in stature."
Turnbull revealed last year the men's competition was the world's fourth
most competitive 10K in the world and second in Europe, according to
rankings issued by the Association of Road Running Statisticians.
Turnbull said: "The men's race also came ninth overall in all categories of
global road races which is no mean achievement.
"The women's competition was just beaten for top honours by the "World's
Best" 10K event in Puerto Rico, so there is no doubt about its class.
"Now we have clearly shown our determination to improve its stature by
persuading Gebrselassie to come along next month and show off his ability."
Entries for the BBC televised BUPA Great Manchester Run have closed with a
record 20,000 being accepted. However, entries for the Tesco Junior and
Mini Great Manchester Runs on Saturday 21st May at SportCity remain open.
Source Greater Manchester Run
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