Barega in as final pacemakers for INEOS Challenge named

With just close to a week remaining to the much-awaited INEOS Challenge, organisers have announced the final list of pacemakers for the historic event set for Vienna, Austria on October 12.

In the event, World marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge will be attempting to break sub two-hour barrier in marathon – a fete no human being has achieved.

World 5,000m silver medallist Selemon Barega of Ethiopia is among the 14 pace makers named Friday bringing the total number of pace makers to a whopping 41.

Fresh from winning silver in the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Barega also has the fastest time this year over the 3,000m.

Also confirmed to help Kipchoge in the historic Challenge are Ronald Musagala from Uganda who won two 1,500m races in last season’s Diamond League series together with the reigning Olympic 1500m champion Matthew Centrowitz of USA.

Others are Hillary Bor (USA), Justus Kimutai (Kenya), Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda), Alex Korio (KEN), Jonathan Korir (KEN), Ronald Kwemoi (KEN), Lopez Lomong (USA), Stewart McSweyn (Australia), Kota Murayama (Japan), Nicholas Rotich (KEN) and Patrick Tiernan (Australia).

It will be Kipchoge’s second attempt to break the barrier after he missed the target by only 26 seconds in his first attempt two years ago in Monza, Italy.

Majority of the pacemakers (15) hails from Kenya with others joining the quartet of Bor, Kimutai, Korio and Korir includes Emmanuel Bett, Augustine Choge, Victor Chumo, Philemon Kacheran, Nicholas Rotich and Micah Kogo.

Others are Moses Koech, Eric Kiptanui, Marius Kipserem, Noah Kipkemboi and Gideon Kipketer.

Matthew Centrowitz, Paul Chelimo, Stanley Kebenei, Bernard Lagat, and Shadrack Kipchirchir – are the pace makers from USA.

Joining Musagala from Uganda are Jacob Kiplimo, Timothy Toroitich, Abdallah Mande, Mande Bushendich and Thomas Akeyo.

Norway’s Ingebrigtsen brothers – Henrik, Filip and Jakob are also in the line-up as Barega is joined by compatriot Chala Regasa.

Other nationalities in the historic race are Australian trio of Patrick Tiernan, Jack Rayner and Stewart Mcsweyn as well as

Kaan Kigen Ozbilen (Turkey), Julien Wanders (Switzerland), Shadrack Koech (Kazakhzstan) and Kota Murayama (Japan).