Geb's marathon WR attempt falls short...

Ethiopia's Haile Gebreselassie took a shot at breaking his own world record time of 2:04:26 in the marathon in today's running of the Dubai Standard Chartered Marathon.

Led by a small group of pacemakers, the Ethiopian went through the half-marathon mark in 61:27, a pace that would equal 2:02:54.

After the last pacemaker dropped out at 30k, Geb found himself alone for the last 12.19 kilometers. He was still 25 seconds under WR pace through 35 kilos.

The suicidal early pace caught up to him, as he finished in a time of 2:04:53, just 27 seconds shy of the time he ran in the Berlin Marathon in October, winning $250,000, but falling short of a $1 million WR bonus.

Isaac Macharia of Kenya came through to take second place in a personal best 2.07.16, and Sammy Korir, still the third fastest man in history (2.04.56 in Berlin 2003) was third in 2.08.01.

Berhane Adere ran away in the last few kilometres, to win in 2.22.40, less than two minutes outside her Ethiopian women’s record of 2.20.42, set in Chicago 2006. She too won $250,000.

Her colleague, Bezunesh Bekele made one of the fastest marathon debuts in history, finishing second in 2.23.09, and defending champion and countrywoman, Askale Magarska was third, in 2.23.23, also a personal best.

Full details of the Dubai Standard Chartered Marathon can be read here...

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