Contenders Withdraw From Women’s World Championship Marathon

Kara Goucher’s chances of medaling in Berlin are growing by the day.

Just days beofre the world championship marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain and Japanese champion Yoko Shibui have withdrawn from the competition. Radcliffe won the New York City Half Marathon but decided that her fitness was still not ready to run at the world championship level. Shibui holds the third fastest time in 2009 with her 2:23:42 win in Osaka, but has withdrawn due to a potential stress fracture in her leg. World number one ranked marathoner Irina Mikitenko of Germany was forced to withdraw earlier this month due to the loss of her father, and subsequent inability to train.

All of this news bodes well for American hopeful Kara Goucher, entering her first world championship marathon. Goucher looks to be a certain favorite in a race that has seen the other top three non-African favorites drop out of the race.

For More: Japan Running News

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