45.000 corredores en medio maratón de Bogotá

http://www.mediamaratonbogota.com/

Makua heads 45,000 starters in Bogota
Friday 27 July 2007


Patrick Makau in Bogota, Colombia (Victah Sailer)

Bogota, Colombia - Over 45,000 runners will toe line for the start of the Bogota Half Marathon on Sunday (29).

As in the past, some of the top South American and other world class runners will test themselves in the capital city's rarified air of 2600m.


Susan Chepkemei in Bogota
(Victah Sailer)

The 22-year-old training partner of Kenya’s World record holder Paul Tergat, Patrick Makau will be favourite. Tergat himself was on his way here to race, but he didn't realize his passport expired until reaching Amsterdam on Tuesday morning.

Makau who won this year’s Berlin Half Marathon has been training hard outside of Nairobi with Tergat. When asked about breaking 60 minutes at this morning's press conference, the shy Kenyan talked about the altitude and the great field.

"I have never run a race with altitude over 5000 ft".

Makau won in Berlin in 58:56.

Facing the sub-60 half marathoner will be two-times runner-up at the Bogota Half Marathon, countryman Issac Macharia, local star, Herder Vasquez (COL), Teodoro Vega (MEX), Gobin Condor (Peru) and another Kenyan Joseph Kahugu.

The women's course record holder, Susan Chepkemei of Kenya will place her many credentials on the line. Born in Kapkama, Kenya, Chepkemei has amassed a phenomenal racing resume along the way collecting four medals at the World Half Marathon Championships, 2000-01(Silver), and won the 2005 World Half Marathon Championships, but she might be more well known for her three second place finishes at the New York Marathon.

Lioudmila Kortchaguina of Canada, has been training in Bogota for the last 2 weeks for her fifth run at the race, and is getting race sharp for the World Championship Marathon.

Also, seriously vying for the win will be local favourite, Yolanda Fernandez (COL), and Lina Arias (COL), Neriah Asiba (KEN) and Claudia Camargo (ARG).

Victah Sailer for the IAAF