Wami will make no mistakes this time

London, UK - World Marathon Majors champion Gete Wami says she will make no mistakes this year when she bids to win her first Flora London Marathon title on Sunday (13 April).

The 33-year-old Ethiopian had to be satisfied with second place in 2007 when she was beaten by the largely unknown Chinese woman Zhou Chunxiu in the last three miles of a gruelling battle under the hottest conditions ever experienced in the 26-year history of the race.

Not that it was the weather that proved to be Wami’s undoing – she was simply surprised by Zhou, a runner she admitted today she had never heard of before.

"I've now run a few marathons but there is always something new to learn from each one,” said Wami. “I didn't know who the Chinese woman was which was a big mistake.

“I had never heard of her. But I've done my homework on everybody for this year's race.”

All-time great

Wami’s glittering track and cross country career in the late 1990s and early 21st century ensures she’s already regarded as one of the greatest women distance runners of modern times

But it’s only in the two years that her performances over 42.195 kilometres have come close to matching the heights of her 19 individual and team medals at World Cross Country Championships and her five medals over 5000m and 10,000m at World Championships and Olympic Games.

Wami won her first marathon in Amsterdam six years ago in 2:22:19, the second fastest debut in history. But she didn’t compete again until 2004 when she made her first outing on London’s streets – an unsuccessful one as it turned out, for she dropped out suffering from hamstring problems.

But Wami is a quick learner. She had a second victory the following year, in San Diego, and in 2006 won her first Major, taking the tape in Berlin in what was then an Ethiopian record, 2:21:34.

Mixed emotions in New York

She also picked up quickly after last April’s “surprise” defeat to Zhou. Wami returned to Berlin at the end of September to retain her title in the German capital and then, just five weeks later on the streets of New York, played her part in the latest chapter of her career-long rivalry with Paula Radcliffe.

The New York marathon was a day mixed with disappointment and joy for Wami as Radcliffe powered away to beat her in the last 400m. But her gutsy second place landed her the inaugural World Marathon Majors crown and a cheque for $US500,000.

"It's still in the bank untouched," said Wami when asked what she had done with the winnings. Of more concern, apparently, is the fitness of the Briton, her old – and perhaps her toughest – rival.

"How is Paula? When will she be fit?" asked Wami of the World marathon record holder and three-times London winner as soon as she arrived in London. "I hoped she would be here as we always have exciting races. When I read that she had pulled out I was extremely disappointed. It would have been a much better race with her competing.”

Radcliffe withdrew from this year’s race last month with a toe injury sustained while high altitude training in USA.

Adere is the principal threat

In Radcliffe’s absence Wami is, perhaps, a marginal favourite for Sunday’s IAAF Gold Label Road Race, but she will still have some tough competition, not least from her compatriot and successor as national record holder, Berhane Adere.

The long-legged 34-year-old is the fastest in the women’s field with a best of 2:20:42, and like, Wami, has something to prove after last year’s race. Adere was pushing the pace alongside the leaders until the half way point but suffered a disastrous second half when she was crippled by right hip and left knee problems.

She eventually finished 10th in 2:39:11. “Last year I finished in such bad pain,” said Adere. “This year I have no injuries and am in really good shape so I expect to do better.

“I have never felt so much pain as last year. I thought I might not be able to finish. I wish I had stopped but I couldn’t because I’ve never dropped out before.”

By the end of the race Adere’s injury was so bad that she feared she’d done permanent damage to her running career. She flew to Germany for treatment, but it took her five months’ to recover.

She started training again in September last year and by the middle of October was fit enough to retain her Chicago marathon title. It was a dramatic victory snatched from Romania’s Adriana Pirtea in the last few metres of a race held in blistering heat.

“That’s when I started to believe in myself again,” said Adere. “Now I am in shape again and ready to put the record right in London.”

Like Wami she has returned to London full of confidence and seeking to make up for past mistakes. Like her compatriot, she’s also considerably richer than a year ago. In January this year she picked up $250,000 for winning the Dubai marathon in a swift 2:22:38 – a good indication of her form for Sunday.

Olympics, the great goal

But money is not the only motivation for the two Ethiopian rivals. Wami makes no secret of her desire to win the Olympic marathon gold in this summer – “That’s my goal for 2008,” she says – while Adere will decide whether to run the marathon or 10,000m in Beijing only after Sunday’s race.

“It will be my decision,” she said. “I am sure I will be there but I don’t know yet whether it will be in the marathon.”

Like Haile Gebrselassie, she admits to being worried about the effects of pollution in the Chinese capital - read IOC statement - Wami is also concerned, although she is determined to be there – not least to enjoy one more tussle with Radcliffe.

"The Olympics are the most important thing for me this year, I will run Beijing," she said. "The conditions will make it very tough, but isn't any marathon race with the different types of courses like that? That is definitely the distance for me and I will not be doing 10000m.

“I hope Paula recovers and is in top condition to race in Beijing. I look forward to racing her again.”

In the meantime, Wami will face Adere in London this Sunday with both Ethiopians eager to make up for last year’s mistakes.