Dibaba Withdraws From London Marathon With Shin Injury
Tirunesh Dibaba has pulled out of the 2013 Virgin London Marathon with a
shin injury.
The Ethiopian triple Olympic track champion was due to make her debut over
26.2 miles in London on 21 April but has been forced to postpone her move
up to the marathon because a previous problem with her lower leg re-emerged
during training.
She said: "I have been in training for the London Marathon, but the
increase in mileage has caused a flare up of my previous lower leg injury.
"As a result, I won't be able to compete in this year's London Marathon but
I look forward to making my marathon debut there next year."
Dibaba retained her Olympic 10,000m title at London 2012 last summer and
added a bronze in the 5000m after winning both events at the Beijing 2008
Olympic Games. She has also bagged four gold medals at World Championships
and five World Cross Country titles in an illustrious career.
She won the Great North Run half marathon last September and was aiming to
become the first Ethiopian since her cousin Derartu Tulu in 2001 to win the
women's race at the London Marathon.
Dibaba's withdrawal leaves Olympic champion Tiki Gelana to spearhead the
Ethiopian challenge at her first London Marathon. Gelana will face World
Champion Edna Kiplagat of Kenya, plus World and Olympic silver medallist
Priscah Jeptoo in a race featuring five women who have completed the
distance in less than two hours 20 minutes.
London Marathon race director Hugh Brasher said: "Of course, it is
disappointing to lose Tirunesh. She has been such a fantastic athlete on
the track, and everyone was full of anticipation to see how well she
performed in a marathon, so we would be naturally delighted to see her
return to London in 2014 as part of the London Marathon elite field.
"We still have a fantastic women's race in prospect, however, with the
Olympic and World Champions going head-to-head, and so many winners from
major city marathons around the world."
The women's elite field for the 2013 Virgin London Marathon:
Tiki Gelana ETH 2:18:58
Lucy Kabuu KEN 2:19:34
Yoko Shibui JPN 2:19:41
Florence Kiplagat KEN 2:19:44
Edna Kiplagat KEN 2:19:50
Priscah Jeptoo KEN 2:20:14
Meselech Melkamu ETH 2:21:01
Atsede Baysa ETH 2:22:03
Yukiko Akaba JPN 2:24:09
Remi Nakazato JPN 2:24:28
Jéssica Augusto POR 2:24:33
Alevtina Biktimirova RUS 2:25:12
Mai Ito JPN 2:25:26
Chika Horie JPN 2:26:11
Renee Baillie USA 2:27:17
Olga Dubovskaya BLR 2:28:08
Freya Ross GBR 2:28:10
Adriana da Silva BRA 2:29:17
Joyce Chepkirui KEN Debut
Helen Clitheroe GBR Debut
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