Ethiopian Bekele aims to break through at Dubai Marathon

Ethiopian marathon runner Kenenisa Bekele said Wednesday that he plans to top his personal best time and to win the 16th Dubai Marathon which will take place on Friday, January 23.

The 32-year-old and winner of 2014 Paris Marathon said that despite fierce competition at the men's start he aims to outperform his own personal best time which stands at 2:05:04.

Also on the starting line near Dubai's famous hotel Burj Al- Arab will be Bekele's countrymen, 2013-Dubai marathon winner Lelisa Desisa, Berhanu Shiferaw and Feysa Lilesa.

"This is my first time I participate at the Dubai Marathon. I know the city of course from holidays and shopping, but I aim to make this race a watershed in my running career," said Bekele who revealed his long-term goal is to mount the Olympic marathon in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.

At the women's start, the top favorite Aselefech Mergia from Ethiopia who won the Dubai marathon in 2012 said she regained her full running strength and endurance she had before maternity leave.

Her arch rival and same-aged Lucy Kabuu from Kenya who was the runner-up in Dubai is also at the start this time.

This year's Dubai marathon event, which runs in its 11th edition under the main sponsor Standard Chartered Bank, posts a record of 30,000 professional and amateur runners who have signed up for the 42.195 kilometer main race marathon, the 10 kilometer run and the 4 kilometer fun run for families.

With a prize money of 200,000 U.S. dollars for the men's and women's races each, the even is the world's richest marathon. If the world record time of 2:02:57 set by Kenyan runner Dennis Kimetto in Berlin in September last year is topped, the winner will get another 100,000 dollars. The women's world record stands at 2:15:25 by British athlete Paula Radcliffe, achieved in London in 2003. Endite