A test of character, speed, stamina and endurance are part of the essentials for South African marathon champion Hendrick Ramaala’s quest to win Sunday’s London Marathon. The highly rated Ramaala, competing in this race for the fifth time, is going for victory in the race that will set him against some of the world’s finest marathon runners.
The British organisers have assembled a strong field of runners, including world-record holder Paul Tergat of Kenya, Haile Gebresellassie of Ethiopia, reigning world marathon champion Jaouad Gharib of Morocco and two previous winners, Kenyans Martin Lel and Felix Limo.
Ramaala, who has had a string of exceptional performances — winning the 2004 New York marathon, two silver medals at International Association of Athletics Federations in the 1998 and 1999 world half-marathon championships, and twice finishing a credible third in the London Marathon — is not perturbed by the quality and strength of the opposition.
”I am encouraged by the fact that I seem to be improving all the time. I know it’s not easy out there, but nothing is impossible. As long as I am in good health on the day, winning is my number one priority,” he said.
Ramaala is well prepared for the marathon. Part of his training regime has included speed work and long running sessions around Johannesburg to build up endurance.
Ramaala was elated last year when he finished third with a personal best time of two hours, six minutes and 55 seconds. He was 14 seconds behind the winner, Limo.
In the London Marathon, Ramaala came fifth in 2000 (his debut), ninth in 2001, eighth in 2003 and third in 2005 and 2006 — a steady improvement in his bid to reach the top.
The South African’s confidence is on a high. Ramaala goes into the competition boasting the sixth fastest time — from his performance last year — and is not far behind the five top-ranked runners: Lel, Limo, the American Khalid Khannouchi, Gebresellassie and Tergat, the holder of the world record of two hours, four minutes and 55 seconds set in the Berlin marathon in 2003.
At the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki and 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Ramaala prematurely quit the contest for reasons that have never fully been disclosed, but are believed to have had something to do with fitness levels. This time round he will be in ”good physical and mental condition on race day”.
Ramaala will make up part of a strong contingent of top runners whom race director David Bedford has, thanks to a reasonable budget, been able to lure to London.
”We are delighted to have such a strong field for the men’s elite race again this year. The presence of the world record holder, the world and Olympic champion will, I am sure, mean we have another hugely exciting race through London’s streets,” said Bedford.
There is an abundance of African talent among the male entrants, but the female contestants from the continent include only two Ethiopians, Berhane Adere and Gate Wami. Top Kenyan runner Isabella Ochichi withdrew because of a tendon injury, which kept her out of last month’s world cross-country championships in Mombasa.