Atheltics Weekly

FEATURE
WOMEN’S MARATHON
Julia Bleasdale also ran the time and I
was 18 seconds off it. For the 10,000m
you don’t get many qualifying chances
so I was a bit annoyed about that
and I didn’t go to watch any of it (the
Olympics)!”
Once again, things will be different
this time, however.
“It’s good that it’s in London. It kind
of feels like it’s another Olympics and,
in front of a home crowd, it will be really
cool,” admits Purdue. “I was happy when
I saw the marathon was on the third day
of the championships. I’m going to plan
to spend the whole week after my race
cheering on the rest of the team. I’ll stay
up in London and go to watch all the
other events.”
First, however, comes the task at
hand. Purdue heads into this marathon
full of confidence after a summer training
schedule which has gone perfectly
to plan and with the personal best
“I TRIED TO MAKE RIO
LAST YEAR AND CAME
PRETTY CLOSE. I
KNEW IT COULD MAKE
THE TEAM THIS TIME”
performance of 2:29:23 which saw
her finish as second Briton in London,
booking her ticket for taking on the
world, still fresh in the memory.
This race is one which has long been
in her mind.
“I tried to make Rio last year but
that (her Olympic qualifying attempt in
London) was my first marathon so I knew
that would be a big ask to run your first
one and make the Olympic team. But I
was pretty close.
“As soon as I saw I was that close
I put this on my radar and I knew that
I could make the team, barring any
injuries. I was happy when I did make it
and now it’s going to be about finishing
as high up as I can in the race.
“I won’t be worrying about the time
because that’s kind of irrelevant in a
championship race.
“Everything has gone pretty much
exactly to plan.”
Edna Kiplagat and Mare Dibaba
battle it out in Beijing two years ago
KIPLAGAT WANTS THREE
WHEN it comes to World
Championships marathon racing,
there are few who know more about
what it takes than Kenya’s Edna
Kiplagat.
Gold medallist in 2011 and 2013,
this year’s Boston Marathon winner
will be competing in her fourth
World Championships and looking
to make it a hat-trick of titles.
The 37-year-old could only place
fifth in Beijing two years ago,
however, during an exceptionally
tight race in which Mare Dibaba
landed Ethiopia’s first ever world
title in the women’s marathon.
Dibaba is among the sizeable
field, as is her namesake,
compatriot and Tokyo Marathon
winner Berhane Dibaba.
Event statistics
World record: 2:15:25 Paula Radcliffe (GBR)
Champs record: Radcliffe (GBR) 2:20:57
Defending champion: Mare Dibaba (ETH)
British interest: Tracey Barlow, Alyson Dixon,
Charlotte Purdue
AW prediction: 1 Kiplagat (KEN); 2 B Dibaba
(ETH); 3 M Dibaba (ETH)
History: Edna Kilplagat is looking to overtake
Catherine Ndereba. Both have won two world
marathon titles.
Olympian Alyson Dixon, who won
her first British vest at the 2011
World Championships, tends to run
well in London and will draw on all
of her elite racing experience.
Former sprinter Tracey Barlow’s
rapid marathon progression will
continue, too, in front of the home
crowds.
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