XXIII Mizuno Siberian International Marathon. Elite runners will come to the SIM-2012

Elite athletes from Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Belarus and Russia will go on the marks of XXIII Mizuno Siberian International Marathon.

Bedada Abdisa Sori from Ethiopia, Fahlayn Sefako Otaniel from South Africa, Oleg Gur from Belarus, Andrei Bryzgalov and Mikhail Pitertsev, representing Russia will fight for the title of the all-round winner of the SIM among men. Of these long-distance runners only Andrey Bryzgalov from Chelyabinsk has great experience performing at Omsk race. In 2008 Andrew became the all-round winner of the SIM, in 2009 he finished third, in 2010 he ran to finish second.

Contenders for the victory among women are Rebecca Tullum Dzherotich from Kenya, Alena Vinitskaya and Olga Malevich from Belarus, Marina Kovalyova and Yelena Kozhevnikova (Russia).

If the first two athletes will make their debut at the Omsk race, Olga Malevich, Marina Kovalyova and Yelena Kozhevnikova have already taken in the competition. In 2011, Olga Malevich came to finish second, yielding the palm to Nina Podnebesnaya from Omsk. Marina Kovalyova became the all-round winner in 2010. In 2004 and 2006 Yelena Kozhevnikova won silver medals in the marathon.

All elite athletes have high ratings according to the International Association of Athletics Federations and are able to set a new record at the Siberian International Marathon. In particular, Abdisa Sori Bedada of Ethiopia at the marathon in Hannover May 6, 2012 crossed the finish line with the score of 2:10:15

While the record of the SIM among men (established by Edward Tukhbatullin from Ufa) – 2:13.02.

Two years in succession the system of pacemakers among elite sportsmen is used in the SIM. Pacemakers are people running for a certain result. If the task of pacemakers for the amateurs – to run the full distance in a steady pace, then the problem of pacemakers for the professionals – to speed up the elite athletes to the highest result.

Pacemakers, as a rule do not run the whole distance, as to sustain such a fast pace throughout the 42 km is almost impossible. Usually the pacemakers, or as they are commonly called "zaitsy", go off a distance of 30 or 35 kilometers. The names of the pacemakers will be announced at the press conference.

In addition to the elite athletes runners from the UK, Germany, Australia, the USA, Taiwan, Poland, Nigeria and Japan will go on the marks of the classic marathon.

Information on elite athletes