D-4 2001 World Championships In Athletics- Lee Bong-Ju Will Make It!

``I`m just gonna try….``

`Bongdari` Lee Bong-Ju (31, Samsung Electronics) has rarely shown the confidence in his victory. He always says bashfully that he will just try, irrespective of whether his condition is good or bad. He just says that ``I will do my best to win the victory’’. And then he has always made something happen.

Lee has immersed himself in the finishing practice dripping with sweat for his first laurel crown of the Edmonton World Championships in Canada. At this time, Lee said that ``I`m not sure, but the practice in Canada went pretty well.``

`The national marathoner` Lee Bong-Ju will attempt to win the victory in the men`s marathon of the 2001 Championships in Athletics, which will begin at 8: 45 am on August 4th (Korean Time). Lee challenges another victory in four months since he earned a laurel crown in the Boston Marathon last April. Although he could not focus on the practice due to the injury on the topside of the foot in the training camp at Hoing-Kye in Kangwon Province, Lee finished the practice in Canada without a smallest strain.

Lee finished the road running of 35-45 km per day and the speed practice until 28th, and he started `a diet` in order to complement a carbohydrate and the finishing practice from 29th.

Coach Oh In-Hwan told that ``although he is not in the perfect condition, he is getting better. It will be crucial to boost his best condition by a diet and a condition control``.

Since the world record holder Khalid Khannouchi (USA, 2 hrs 5 min 42 sec), the fastest record holder of this season Josephat Kiprono (Kenya, 2 hrs 6 min 50 sec), and the Asia record holder Asushi Fujita (Japan, 2 hrs 6 min 51 sec) will participate in this race, nobody can assure who will win the race. Lee`s record is 2 hours 7 minutes 20 seconds, which is the national record.

Coach Oh said that ``this race will be the hottest competition as well as the mental game. So, I guess it will be a tough race for Lee.``

Furthermore, although the course is relatively flatter than the Sydney Olympics` course, the steep hill continues about 500m in the 27 km point and there is the steep slope of 300m in the 37 km point. Hence, the key to win the race will be how he will overcome the tough course.

Another `opponent` that Lee should overcome is the whimsical weather. During the training period in Canada, the crazy weather has continued alternating the downpour with the thunder and lightening, and the bright sunshine.

The race will begin at 6: 45 pm in local time, and the temperature will be 22-24 degree if it is not rainy, otherwise 17 degree, which is relatively hot. But the effective temperature is low due to the low humidity.

Meanwhile, Kim Yi-Yong (28, Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps) is dreaming of a revival for this race in order to get over the slump in the Donga Marathon (6th place, 2 hrs 12 min 19 sec). After he finished the hard training such as the road running and the mountain running at Hoing-Kye in Kangwon Province for two months, Kim finished the adjustment practice and the speed practice and started a diet for a condition control in Canada.

Yang Jong-Koo yjongk@donga.com