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The highly anticipated competition between Kenenisa Bekele and Eliud Kipchoge in Sunday’s 40th London Marathon is canceled after Bekele withdrew on Friday afternoon with a calf injury.
Organizers hoped that having the two greatest distance runners in history on a fast track around St James’s Park would put Kipchoge’s world record of 2:01:39 in serious jeopardy.
However, the 38-year-old Bekele, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and world record holder in the 10,000 meters, insisted he had no option to retire. “I am very disappointed not to be able to race on Sunday,” said the Ethiopian. “I was in good shape, but then I felt a problem in my left calf after two fast training sessions too close together in the last weeks of preparation.
“I have been receiving treatment every day since then and I really believed that he would be ready, but today is worse and now I know that I cannot run with him. This race was very important to me.
“My time in Berlin last year [2:01:40] It gave me a lot of confidence and motivation and I really wanted to show it again, I have worked so hard to achieve it. I know that many people around the world have been looking forward to this race and I am sorry to disappoint my fans, the organizers and my fellow competitors.
Hugh Brasher, the events director for the race, tried to put a brave face on the news. “We know how disappointed Kenenisa is and we wish him a speedy recovery,” he said. “But it was never likely to be a two-man race, as we had four of the fastest marathon runners and six men on the field who had broken 2:05, including Mosinet Geremew and Mule Wasihun, second and third for the year. last, and the 2018 runner-up, Shura Kitata ”.
The women’s race, which begins proceedings at 7.15am on Sunday, should still live up to its billing as world record holder Brigid Kosgei takes on world champion Ruth Chepngetich and winner of 2018, Vivian Cheruiyot. Kosgei says she’s not in the shape she was when she ran 2:14:04 in Chicago last year, breaking 16-year-old Paula Radcliffe’s world record by 81 seconds. If there are any chinks in her armor, her compatriots certainly have the class to exploit it.
