Gebrselassie hopes to secure Olympic place in Berlin

World marathon record holder Haile Gebrselassie hopes to secure a place in the Ethiopian team for the 2012 London Olympics with a fast time in the Berlin marathon on September 25.Gebrselassie, who turned 38 on Monday, clocked 60:18 in a half marathon in Vienna on Sunday.
"From now on it will be all about preparing for the Olympics in 2012," Gebrselassie told the RaceNewsService agency.
"Of course Berlin is the best place to go for a fast time. If it would be possible I would say right now: 'Yes, I will run in Berlin'.
"But my manager has to speak with the Berlin organisers first. I do however expect that an announcement will be made very soon."
Gebrselassie, who set his world mark of two hours three minutes 59 seconds in Berlin three years ago, stunned the sporting world when he announced his retirement after dropping of the New York marathon last November. He subsequently rescinded his decision and said he would like to end his running career in London next year.
"When I came back to Ethiopia people said, what is the matter? You cannot end your career like this. You have to finish on a high," he said.
Gebrselassie said he did not think a time of two hours six minutes would be enough to ensure selection for the Ethiopian team.
WORLD RECORD?
"There are a number of very strong runners in Ethiopia and it is obvious that the Olympic places will go to the three fastest, 2:06 will not be enough. I know how strong the others are so I think I will have to run 2:05 or 2:04 to get to London," he said.
Kenyan Mary Keitany, who moved into equal fourth place on the women's all-time individual list when she won the London marathon on Sunday in only her second race over 42.195 kms, said on Monday she would like to attempt Paula Radcliffe's world record.
Briton Radcliffe, who set her world mark of 2:15:25 in 2003, is the only woman to clock a faster time in London than Keitany's 2:19:19 .
"I will try my best to at least attempt it," Keitany told reporters on Monday.
Keitany, 29, the world half-marathon record holder, grew up in a classic Kenyan tradition, running 10 kms to and from primary school every day.
She took up running seriously in secondary school at the age of 18 and made her first appearance in Europe when she competed in a half-marathon and road race in Spain in 2006.
Keitany won the silver medal in the 2007 world half-marathon championships before interrupting her career to give birth to her son Jared.
Next year she hopes to defend her London title and then take part in the Olympics along with compatriot and men's champion Emmanuel Mutai, whose time of 2:04:40 was a course record and elevated him into fourth place on the men's individual list.
Race director David Bedford said he would start negotiations soon to get Mutai and his team mates Martin Lel and Patrick Makau, who finished second and third respectively on Sunday, back for the 2012 London race as well as last year's champion Sammy Wanjiru.
Three times London champion Lel was a late replacement for Olympic gold medallist Wanjiru, who pulled out of Sunday's race because of an injury to his right knee.
Bedford, a former world 10,000 metres record holder who ran in the inaugural 1981 London event, said he thought Sunday's race, which took place in glorious, spring weather, had been a special event.
"I have done a lot of these over the years and I think this year's was one of those days when it all comes together," he said.