Abebe won't promise world record at 10K race

JAKARTA (JP): The world best road racer Addis Abebe of Ethiopia promised no new record for his title defense attempt at the 10-kilometer run here on Sunday.

Abebe, who yesterday started his training session less than nine hours after his arrival on Tuesday night, said he was ready to defend his crown but doubted that he would be able to shatter the winning time of 27 minutes and 40 seconds that he clocked last year.

He won a whopping US$ 500,000 in cash for his record-breaking time and has offered a similar amount for a new record in the race sponsored by renowned timber tycoon Mohammad "Bob" Hasan.

"I realized my goal of setting the world's best time last year," the 23-year-old Tigrey-born runner said after his two-and- a-half-hour training at Madya Senayan stadium. Now, Abebe said he was eager to shatter the marathon world record.

"I will establish a new record if many more world-beating runners join the race," he added. Abebe will only face his toughest challenge in the form of Khalid Skah of Morroco who beat him at the Olympic 10,000-meter event in 1992. Skah took the gold, while Abebe had to be content with a bronze.

Both runners are expected to highlight this Sunday's loop- course with Chinese coach Ma Junren's Army who will likely dominate the women's division.

Wang Junxia, who stole the limelight with her impressive world 10,000m and 3,000m record last year, 3,000m world champion Qu Yunxia and 3,000m junior record holder Ma Ningning arrived here later in the evening.

Wang becomes the heavy favorite to break England's Elizabeth McColgan's five-year-old world record of 30:38. The Chinese woman's 10,000m world track record is almost a minute faster than McColgan's.

B. Chaidir of the Indonesian Track and Field Association (PASI) said that coach Ma was scheduled to speak on training methods now in progress for Chinese national trainers.

The winner of the men's event of the 10km annual race, the seventh since the inaugural meet in 1987 in Bali, is guaranteed $25,000 and the women's champion $20,000. Runner-ups of the men's and women's events will earn $12,000 and $10,000 respectively. (amd)