Legend Haile signs up for $2mn Dubai marathon

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MARATHON MAN: Haile Gebrselassie will compete in the 2009 Dubai Marathon. (Getty Images)

Fresh from breaking his own world marathon record, Ethiopian running legend Haile Gebrselassie has confirmed his next major appearance will be in the $2 million Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon on January 16, 2009.

The news once again underlines the global standing of Dubai as host to the world’s richest running event. As well as a prize-fund of $1 million, the race also offers a world record bonus payout of an additional $1 million, courtesy of Dubai Holding.

“We have been in discussions with Haile and his management ever since he performed so brilliantly in Dubai earlier this year,” said event director Peter Connerton.

“Our team flew to Germany last week to finalise the details but we didn’t want to release the news out of respect for the Berlin Marathon. Now he has smashed the world record again, we look forward to Haile coming back to Dubai in 2009.”

In the German capital, Gebrselassie further cemented his incredible running legacy with a world record time of 2h:03m:59s – the 26th world record of his astonishing career and his third win in the Berlin Marathon.

The last three times ‘Geb’ has run the 42.195km event – Berlin in 2007 and 2008 and in Dubai earlier this year - he has set the three fastest times in history. Beating the record yet again in Dubai is the 35 year-old’s next marathon target following a 15km race in Melbourne in November.

The man himself believes he can go even faster. During training for Berlin, he was running quicker than at any time in his marathon career.

“After the race (Berlin), I didn’t feel so tired,” he said. “It feels great to be the first man under 2.04 in the marathon. Myself, I can do 2.03 something - if I don’t get injured, maybe 2.02.59, but considering my shape and my age, 2.03.30, or 2.03.20.”

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