An unprecedented number of former winners will start the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon after reigning champion
and 2014 winner Tsegaye Mekonnen Asefa confirmed their participation in the world’s richest marathon on January 22.
The announcement takes the number of athletes in the starting line-up who have won in Dubai to six with Berhanu and Mekonnen joining 2012 champion and course record holder Ayele Abshero in the men’s field.
In the women’s event, the hugely- talented line-up will be led by former winners Mulu Seboka (2014), Tirfi Tsegaye (2013) and Mamitu Daska (2010). Ethiopians Berhanu and Mekonnen will bring even more star quality to the race after both won in fantastic style on their official Dubai debuts.
Competing in only his second marathon, Berhanu destroyed a more experienced field to win last year in 2:05:28, smash his personal best by five minutes, while Mekonnen’s 2014 win was even more sensational.
The then 18-year-old set an unofficial world junior record in 2:04:32 in what was his first official marathon despite having run as a pacemaker in the 2013 race.
Tsegaye Mekonnen.
“The appearance of six former champions from Ethiopia underlines just how important Dubai rates in the racing calendar for the long distance elite runners,” said Standard Chartered Event Director Peter Connerton.
“The men and women know with perfect weather and a flat course there are very fast times to be had in Dubai.”
As expected, the competition for places in Ethiopia’s Olympic squad for Rio 2016 will be fierce. And with all six former champions hailing from the African hotbed of distance running, the athletics spotlight will be on Dubai when around 30,000 runners gather in the emirate.
For 20-year old Mekonnen it means a return to a city that turned his world around. “The win in Dubai changed my life,” he said.
“I was able to buy a house in Addis Ababa, I bought a car to be able to go to the training venues and I stopped school to concentrate fully on running. It is a completely different life for me now.”
Runners looking to compete in the Marathon, the 10km Road Race or the 4km Fun Run can still do so online through the official website www.dubaimarathon.org.