Delhi half marathon ambassador is surprised that as many as 30,000 will participate in the event next month.
There are a very few distinctions that Khalid Khannouchi, the US marathoner of Moroccan origins, failed to achieve in his career.
But since one of those honours that he missed out on was an Olympic Gold medal, the 40-year-old is hoping he can add that feather to his cap at London 2012.
It is not an easy road for Khannouchi, who is recovering from a surgery, to get ready for the qualifying rounds for the Games next year. En route he will be coming to India as the Event Ambassador for the Delhi Half Marathon, to be run on November 27 this year.
Khannouchi is a former half marathon world record holder. “Half marathons are similar to 20km races as there is barely any difference in the distance. A full marathon on the other hand is completely different.
We marathoners generally run the 20kms or the half marathons events four to five weeks before the big marathons events as preparation,” he told DNA from USA.
Khannouchi added he was very excited about coming to India as he had never visited the country.
“I am very surprised that so many people in India are into running. I am told 30,000 people will participate in the Delhi marathon. That is very exciting. It’s good to know that Indians not only play cricket but also run. Now that I have made a comeback, hopefully I will come to India and run in a marathon. India and Japan are two places, where I have not participated in a race and hopefully, I will be able to do that before I hang up my boots for good” he said.
Khannouchi believes a late start to his career proved to be a blessing as long distance running takes a toll on an athlete’s body. He said, “I started running long distance at the age of 16, which is much later than most athletes. I used to play football before that. I think that is why I can keep running competitively at this age. This discipline really wears the body down so that late start has helped me keep going.”
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