Friday 8 October 2004 Chicago, USA - “I would be really happy if Chicago
could get the World record back,” said Khalid Khannouchi ahead of
Sunday’s 27th running of the LaSalle Banks Chicago Marathon (10 Sep).
“This race is set for fast times.”
World record target
While everyone is touting the match-up between Khannouchi, who has won the
Chicago race four times, and defending champion Evans Rutto of Kenya,
Khannouchi says that there are at least “five or six guys” who
could win the race.
Four other Kenyans with personal bests under 2:07:07
With four other Kenyans with personal bests under 2:07:07, and a strong
Japanese contingent, the only thing that can be said for sure about the
men’s race it that, weather permitting, it will be fast. The lead pacers
have been asked to take the race out in 1:02:20 for the first half in order to
take aim at Paul Tergat’s year-old mark of 2:04:55 set at last
year’s real,- BERLIN-MARATHON.
Olympic fatigue a factor?
None of the women will be aiming at Paula Radcliffe’s World record, but
each will be aiming to improve on their own PBs led by Russia’s defending
champion Svetlana Zakharova ...