30 Oct 2010

World record holder to compete in Japan marathon

6:41 am on 30 October 2010

The world record holder Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie will take part in next year's Tokyo Marathon.

The 37-year-old, who clocked the world's quickest time of two hours, three minutes and 59 seconds in Berlin two years ago, heads the field of invitees for the February the 27th race.

Gebrselassie, who also has held the world records at 10,000 and 5,000 metres, last competed in Japan at the 2006 Fukuoka marathon.

This year's Tokyo Marathon was won by Masakazu Fujiwara in a pedestrian 2:12:19 amid tsunami warnings following a massive earthquake in Chile.