Women's marathoners on track for Games gold - chief

XIAMEN, Fujian province: China's top women marathoners are slowly but surely building up for a push at gold at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

While only two of China's three elite female marathoners competed at the Xiamen International Marathon on Saturday, the head of China's Athletics Administrative Center (CAAC) Du Zhaocai, said the preparations were on track.

Reigning world champion Bai Xue and Zhu Xiaolin ran a few miles during the event while Zhou Chunxiu had wedding obligations and missed the race won by Ethiopia's Baysa Atsede. The men's title was also won by an Ethiopian, 19-year-old Feyisa Lilesa.

Du is confident China's women will make a big statement in London.

Bai shocked the world last August when the 21-year-old collected the country's first marathon gold at the World Championships in Berlin.

She followed that performance up with a victory at the Beijing International Marathon last October.

"Bai is a talented runner and still young. Her record in recent years has convinced us that she has the ability to win a gold medal in London," said Du.

Beijing bronze medalist Zhou, a three-time winner in Xiamen (2003, 2004, 2005) and a former London Marathon champion, also has medal hopes in the England capital. She finished fourth at the Berlin World Championships and the Beijing International Marathon in October. Zhu, whose personal best is 2:23:57, finished fourth at the Beijing Olympics. The 26-year-old appears to be at the peak of her career.

"Bai, Zhou and Zhu are excellent runners in different age groups. If they prepare well ahead of the London Olympics, they could have a shot at the gold medal," said Du.

Teenager Sun Weiwei (PB 2:25:15) and Zhu Yingying (PB 2:28:47 ), the winners at Xiamen in 2006 and 2008, complete China's women's contingent with the highly-regarded trio.

Xinhua/China Daily

(China Daily 01/04/2010 page23)