Feb 4, 2009

Reported by: Bart van Aalst

Dutch websites announced Ryan Hall to race Haile Gebrselassie in The Hague, on the same course where Wanjiru set the 1/2 marathon world record.  Race is on March 14, 2009.

Announcement is on www.fortiscpcloop.nl (they only mention some results, dates and the fact that Hall is racing Haile)

- Bart van Aalst

HAILE GEBRSELASSIE STARTS IN 35TH FORTIS CITY-PIER-CITY RUN

The organizers of the Fortis City-Pier-City Run today announced the start of Haile Gebrselassie in the 35th edition of the event in The Hague on Saturday March 14th.

The world record holder marathon travels with a special mission to The Hague. He wants to recapture the world record half marathon. Gebrselassie lost his word record half marathon on March 17th 2007 to Samuel Wanjiru. On the proven fast course in The Hague the Kenyan clocked a time of 58:33. With that time Wanjiru knocked 22 seconds off the time Haile Gebrselassie did set in Phoenix on January 15th 2006.
 
,,It will be my first running of the Fortis City-Pier-City Run. I know The Netherlands very well. I know that road race courses here are mostly very flat and fast. The fact that Wanjiru broke my world record here is an extra motivation’’,  Gebrselassie said in a prepared statement. ,,It proves the course is very fast. From experience I know that the organization is excellent.’’
 
Haile Gebrselassie has broken in his rich career until now 27 world records in- and outdoor. ,,When my running career is over I will have broken at least thirty world records. The Fortis City-Pier-City Run half marathon looks like an excellent opportunity to bring this goal nearer.’’
  
The  35th  edition of the Fortis City-Pier-City Run is also venue of the national championships half marathon.