Samuel Wanjiru at the press conference in Udine (© c)
Udine, ItalyKenyan road running star Samuel Wanjiru, who broke the World Half Marathon record in Rotterdam in 2005 (59.16), and who this year has made two quicker clockings which if ratified will improve Haile Gebrselassie’s World record of 58.85 (2006), has expressed his intention to run at the IAAF World Road Running Championships in Udine, Italy on 14 October, if of course he is selected by his nation.
“I have to talk to the Kenyan Federation but I like the Udine course. It will be a challenging course but I will do my best to break my World record dipping under 58 minutes”, said Wanjiru during a special press conference organized by the LOC of the Udine World Road Running Championships exactly three months before the event.
Already in 2007 Wanjiru has twice run faster than the World Half Marathon record - 58:53 in Ras Al Khaimah and 58:35 at the Fortis City-Pier-City Half Marathon in The Hague - times which are currently awaiting official ratification.
If reigning World Road Running and World Cross Country champion Zersenay Tadesse of Eritrea also takes part in the World Road Running Championships, then the northern Italian venue will feature a fantastic battle over a course which has built a strong reputation as very fast during the eight editions of the annual Udine Half Marathon.
“It could be a memorable race between me and Tadesse if he decides to compete. We have the same chance to win the World title,” said Wanjiru.
Wanjiru, who set the World Junior record for the track 10,000 metres in Brussels in 2005 running 26:41.75, will test his form at the Great North Run in Newcastle on 30 September.
He is planning his debut over the marathon distance in December. “I want to dip under 2:06 in Fukuoka”, concluded Wanjiru, who lives in Japan where he began his international career.
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
