Korean Marathoners Expect Good Record This Year Too

“We are confident of another good record this year”

Oh Chang-seok (43. picture) who is currently coaching the “Q-Ray Marathon Team” in Albuquerque, New Mexico, returned to Korea for the 2005 Seoul International Marathon and the 76th Dong-a Marathon, to be held on March 13.

Oh came home with six other marathoners, including Umbarek Hussein of Kenya, who ranked third last year.

Hussein is currently a lead candidate to win, and five other runners, including Luke Metto of Kenya and Abderrazak Haki of Morocco will highlight the game as pacemakers, the leading runners for each section.

Oh is shortening the record of the Seoul International Marathon, and he has deployed a large number of pacemakers for the event starting in 2003.

Oh made a great contribution to Gert Thys’s victories in the Seoul International Marathons of 2003 and 2004 with exceptional times of two hours, eight minutes and forty-two seconds and two hours, seven minutes and five seconds, respectively.

Oh stated that because the course is good, another good record could be made if his pacemakers lead their runners well.

Oh is also doing his “guide work” for Korean marathoners, in the U.S. while teaching Kenyan, Tanzanian and other African runners.

Albuquerque is a typical high-altitude training location.

Oh is conducting an “advanced training” providing them with not only board and lodging, but also a training program.

Oh coached Hyeong Jae-young (35) and Kang Soon-deok (31), a couple, last year, and Kang Soon-deok set a new Korean record in the women’s 5000m final at the National Sports Festival with a record of 16 minutes and 2.48 seconds.

Being in charge of the marathon team of Q-Ray Ion Bracelet (president, Park Gyu-tae), Oh is participating in marathons held in various countries after finishing his job as a coach of the military marathon team in 2000 and going to the U.S.

Jong-Koo Yang yjongk@donga.com