FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Confident Kebede Stakes his Claim for Title Three
Reigning men's champion Tsegaye Kebede is in confident mood ahead of his
title defence at the 2014 Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday, 13 April,
when he'll face one of the strongest fields ever assembled for a race over
the classic 26.2-mile distance.
The smiling Ethiopian claimed his second London victory in dramatic fashion
12 months ago when he fought back from fifth place, more than a minute
behind the leader, to regain the crown he'd won three years before.
Kebede overtook Kenya's Emmanuel Mutai in the last half mile of the race to
win in 2 hours 6 minutes 4 seconds before going on to finish second at the
New York Marathon last November, securing the 2012/13 World Marathon Majors
title.
Now back for his sixth appearance in the British capital, Kebede is
determined to become the first man to retain the men's London Marathon
title since Kenya's Martin Lel in 2008.
"Last year was amazing for me," said Kebede. "I was back in fifth place and
thought it was too late for me to win. But somehow it all changed after
40km. Everyone got tired and I was able to win again. When I crossed the
line I thought ‘Oh my god'. I couldn't believe it.
"After running in New York I have focused only on the London Marathon. I am
in good shape and I want to win again. I'm saying, ‘I will win again'."
Last year's victory provided some kind of redemption for Kebede who failed
to make Ethiopia's 2012 Olympic squad when he finished third here two years
ago. As the reigning Olympic bronze medallist from Beijing 2008, it was a
bitter blow for a man who'd also won World Championships bronze in 2009.
But he bounced back in style, breaking his personal best to win the Chicago
Marathon in October 2012 before his second London victory six months later.
Another win for Kebede this year would place him among the London
Marathon's all-time greats, alongside Lel, Mexico's Dionicio Ceron and
Spain's Abel Anton as the event's fourth triple winner.
Not that it will be easy for the 27-year-old, as Kebede faces a field
containing the world's best marathon runners, including the man he
succeeded as London champion, world record holder Wilson Kipsang, the world
and Olympic champion, Stephen Kiprotich and the London course record
holder, Emmanuel Mutai, not to mention Britain's big hope, Mo Farah, the
world and Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion.
Asked whether he had a special strategy for beating the Kenyans, Kebede
said the key was confidence. "You have to put the time in and do the work,
that's what gives you confidence," he said. "You have to believe in
yourself.
"Of course, as an Ethiopian, if I don't win, I will be supporting the other
Ethiopians."
They include Tsegaye Mekonnen, the 18-year-old who broke the world junior
record when he won in Dubai this January in 2:04:32, the quickest time in
the world this year, and Ibrahim Jeilan, the man who beat Farah to the win
the world 10,000m title in 2011, who is making his marathon debut.
As for Farah's chances in his first foray at the marathon, Kebede pointed
his compatriot Kenenisa Bekele's victory at the Paris Marathon last Sunday
as a sign of what the Briton could do.
"Kenenisa's run in Paris is a big example to Farah," he said. "There is no
reason why he can't do as well. Whether he'll win, in this race, I don't
know, because there are lots of things that can happen."
Kebede himself will take inspiration from Ethiopia's greatest distance
runner, Haile Gebrselassie, who is pacing the elite men to 30km at world
record schedule.
"I am very confident with Haile in the race," said Kebede. "I think if he
takes me to 30k, then I will do something special on Sunday."
Kebede is one of seven men in the field to have run quicker than 2:05 while
he has also proved to be one of the most consistent marathon runners over
the last few years. In his five London Marathons so far he has failed to
make the podium only once and few would bet against him placing in the top
three again.
He added the Chicago Marathon title to his list of honours 18 months after
finishing second behind former London and Olympic champion Sammy Wanjiru in
2010. He was also third at the New York Marathon in 2011 before finishing
second behind Geoffrey Mutai last year to become the first Ethiopian to win
the half million dollars World Marathon Majors prize.
After twice being runner-up, it was a deserved victory for Kebede who has
never finished outside the top five in 12 WMM races dating back to 2008.
"I just missed it last time and I almost won when I was running against
Wanjiru, but just lost it on the line," said Kebede. "So when I got the
chance to win again I had to take it. I was surprised and happy to win it
this time."
Kebede, who grew up in poverty outside Addis Ababa, will collect his
winner's cheque at a reception on the River Thames on Friday. "Then I will
have a chance to celebrate that jackpot," he said.
Kebede hopes - indeed, expects - to be celebrating another jackpot win
beside the Thames less than 48 hours later.
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