Cheruiyot: I’ll target Baldini

Jul 17 2010 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

KENYAN prospect Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot has promised to run former Olympic champion Stefano Baldini all the way in tomorrow’s high-quality Great North 10k in Sunderland.

Reigning Boston Marathon champion Cheruiyot has established himself as one of distance running’s brightest prospects since bursting onto the scene in 2008 and is one of a clutch of international athletes taking aim at European marathon champion Baldini over the Wearside course.

And in a rare 10k outing, the 21-year-old Kenyan believes a sub-30 minute time on a quick course is possible – despite nursing a slight tendon injury.

Baldini jetted into the North East late last night and organisers consider it quite a coup to get a man who is something of an icon in long-distance running. But, as with most of the Great North Run series, he is guaranteed a decent workout.

“I am delighted to be in Sunderland – this is my first time in England but it is a very good race; I’m excited,” said Cheruiyot, who was at Biddick School Sports College yesterday to put youngsters taking part in tomorrow’s Junior Great Sunderland Run through their paces.

“I didn’t know too much about the field but it is strong with Stefano, who has won an Olympics. I have to run my own race but I will be aiming for around 30 minutes if the conditions are right, and hopefully that will be enough. My main aim this year is to go back to Boston and defend the title. But this is important for speed work and it is an excellent event.”

Baldini and Cheruiyot are the top names in a men’s elite field that includes Switzerland's Viktor Rothlin, a former bronze medallist at the World marathon championships, and Portugal’s Luis Feiteira.

Regional interest is provided by former Blaydon Race winners Ian Hudspith, of Morpeth Harriers, and Ezekial Cherop. Liz Yelling leads a list of mainly British-based up-and-coming women’s competitors.

“Any race in the world would be happy to have the field we’ve got this weekend,” said Peter Riley, the event’s elite athletes’ manager. “We’ve got a former Olympic champion, the Boston Marathon winner – it doesn’t get much bigger than that. We’re very lucky to have Stefano in the field. He was supposed to be doing an event for us in April but he picked up a stress fracture – to be honest we all thought that his career was over.

“But he’s recovered, got himself into great shape and this is a good stepping stone for him to defend his European title.

“It is quite a quick course and I would have thought we’ll be looking at a quick time although it sometimes depends on what the weather is like. If the wind is up like it has been the last few days then the elite guys might be reluctant to take it on.

“Then it might end up being a bit of a tactical race, which is just as exciting.”

Now in its second year as a mass-participation event, there will be a field of over 5,000 lining up at the Wearmouth Bridge for a course that takes in the Wearside coast before ending at the Stadium of Light.

Former Black Cats star Michael Gray and Olympic boxer Tony Jeffries are among the starters for a race which was relaunched in 2009 in conjunction with Sunderland Council to promote health and well-being.

Lynsey Stephenson, spokeswoman for race organisers Nova International, believes the event has positioned itself as second only to the Great North Run on the North East’s athletics calendar.

“We’ve got a record field of over 5,000 and we’re delighted that, in only its second year, the race has grown so big,” she said.