Neither Bahta nor Lahti have had the opportunity to go to the United States and train during the winter, a training period that usually ends with running a couple of races.
It was in Palo Alto that Meraf Bahta 2017 took over the Swedish record from Sarah Lahti when she ran to the finish on 31.13.18, a time that was 15 seconds better than Lahti’s previous record.
– Since both the training and the competitions in the USA have disappeared due to the pandemic, their coaches wondered if we could not arrange a competition, says Lorenzo Nesi who is one of the men behind Tuesday night’s race at the Stadium.
The coaches ‘and organizers’ contacts in the world of runners has made the race, which contains 16 women lasting ten from Kenya, will be of the highest class.
– One of the girls has done the second fastest time ever on the mile, albeit on a country road. There will be several talented runners from Kenya on the starting line, says Nesi.
The Kenyan runners are also the ones looking to complete the nomination time for the Olympics in 31 minutes and 25 seconds.
To make a race possible for the runners to pass the nomination limit, the race will include two so-called hares who will take care of the speed.
Angelica Strandberg starts the cruise and will be replaced by the Kenyan Fancy Chemutai, who among other things made the half marathon of 1.04.52.
– The classic thing is that all Kenyan women rush away like crazy at the start, but that must not happen tonight. The point for them is not to win the race or run as fast as possible, they are looking to pass the Olympic qualifying time. At home in Nairobi it is not possible to run so fast, the risk is that you win their competitions but you do not manage the time. Therefore, they have to get the time, which suits us perfectly.
Federation captain Karin Torneklint is worried that it will be a little too cold at Stockholm’s stadium when the race starts at 18.00 on Tuesday night.
– It is difficult to run fast if it is cold and windy.
The race is Bahta’s and Lahti’s first chance to meet the nomination limit for this summer’s Olympics in Tokyo.
– I am very curious if they can qualify for the Olympics. The earlier you can qualify, the better it is and 10,000-meter races are not so common, says Torneklint.
If Bahta and Lahti manage to reach the finish line faster than 31.25 minutes, Torneklint can nominate them for the Olympics.
– I will nominate those who have passed the limit, then it is the Swedish Olympic Committee that decides who will be allowed to go to the Olympics, states Torneklint.
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