Star Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie plans to compete in the London Marathon on April 17 if he successfully completes a half-marathon at the end of this month.
The two-time Olympic 10,000-meter champion had achilles surgery after last year's Athen's Olympics and wants to see if he is fit. He finished fifth in the 10,000 in Athens and said he would no longer run on the track but would compete in road races.
If the 31-year-old Gebrselassie runs in London, he would face arch-rival and world record holder Paul Tergat of Kenya. Tergat finished second to Gebrselassie in the 10,000 meters at two Olympics and two world championships. Tergat has won the world cross country championship five times.
Gebrselassie has run only one marathon, and that was the 2002 London event where he finished third.
Some information for this report provided by Reuters.
