Tune to attack One Hour World record in Ostrava – IAAF World Athletics Tour

Ostrava, Czech republic – After last year’s successful venture with Haile Gebrselassie the organizers of the "47th Golden Spike" in Ostrava in 12 June, a Grand Prix status meet as part of the IAAF World Athletics Tour 2008, will organize a similar try for women.

Recent Boston Marathon winner Dire Tune of Ethiopia will in the course of 60 minutes try to run more than the 18,340m achieved by Tegla Loroupe back in 1998 in Borgholzhausen, Germany.

"I am very excited for this opportunity to come to Ostrava and attempt to run the One Hour World record,” said Tune from the Ethiopian pre-olympic marathon camp where 7 men and 7 women have been invited. “I have started training again after winning the Boston Marathon and I feel good to go after the record. I am excited to run on the same track where Haile broke the record.”

Also competing is Romanian World and Olympic participant Alina Gherasim who could try to achieve the European record (currently 18,084m by Italian Silvana Cruciata back in 1981). The race will be staged in the pre-programme with begin at 5pm (main programme at 6.30pm local time).