Tergat and Gebrselassie face off in star-studded London marathon

By Tomas York Apr 20, 2007, 15:11 GMT

London - World record holder Paul Tergat of Kenya and Ethiopia's long-distance legend Haile Gebrselassie face off on Sunday in one of the strongest London marathon line-ups since the annual race began in 1981.

The men's field also features the reigning Olympic and European champion Stefano Baldini of Italy, two-time world champion Jaouad Gharib of Morocco, reigning London champion Felix Limo of Kenya, former champions Martin Lel of Kenya and Khalid Khannouchi of the United States along with New York City marathon winner Marilson Gomes dos Santos of Brazil.

Tergat and Gebrselassie have fought many dramatic duels over the years in a rivalry to match any in athletics.

Gebrselassie, a multi-Olympic and world champion at 10,000m, and Tergat, five-time world cross country champion, first met at the world cross country championships in March 1993.

But Sunday's marathon will be their first race meeting in five years with the Ethiopian holding a 22-3 lead over his closest opponent and great friend.

'I think our rivalry has been good for the sport,' said 37-year-old Tergat this week.

'It comes from big championships where we were carrying our country's flags. We happened to come along at the same time, but now it's almost like we are not rivals at all. Perhaps that was our time.'

Gebreselassie, at 34, can only agree: 'These days we try to help each other because there are others trying to attack these old men.

'Paul is a friend and when we meet each other it's great. One thing we both understand - this is sport. Sport is about showing your ability and effort. But outside of sport, why fight? We don't need it.'

Tergat set the current world record of 2 hours 4 minutes 55 seconds in Berlin in 2003 and everything is in place for another assault on the best mark over the 42.195-kilometre course in a race which has become a familiar part of the British sporting calendar.

A new world record would earn the winner an additional 125,000 US dollars, but Tergat said this week he thought a new best mark was unlikely. Temperatures in London Sunday could be around 21 degrees Celsius, warmer than ideal temeperatures for a record-breaking run.

'This is one of the high-class events in the world and anything could happen,' Tergat told BBC Sport.

'I'm expecting somebody to break mid-way through the race, otherwise if it is tactical even the best runners could lose to somebody else.

'It will be really fast too, between 2:06 and 2:07 would be a good time.'

Gebrselassie, who is running his third London Marathon, meanwhile says he wants to carry on running until the 2012 London Olympic Games.

'I have no plans to retire - I am serious about still running in London 2012,' he told the BBC.

His first aim though is to improve on his performance in London last year when he finished a disappointing ninth.

'Since I started running I've never been in ninth place, my worst finish was in 1991 when I finished eighth in a junior race,' he said.

'It is no question how important it is to win in London, it is absolutely the number one marathon. If I win just once in London I will feel as if I've just won at the World Championships.'

The organizers hail the strongest-ever field for the women's race, with Kenya-born Dutch runner Lornah Kiplagat, Zhou Chunxiu (China), Berhane Adere (Ethiopia), Gete Wami (Ethiopia), Benita Johnson (Australia) and Kiyoko Shimahara (Japan) among the favourites.

However, world record holder Paula Radcliffe of Britain (2:15:25) is absent after giving birth to her first child in January.