Tough conditions create a level playing field – Hiruni

Marathoner Hiruni Wijayarathne was training at midnight yesterday at Corniche here in Doha in preparation for the IAAF World Championship marathon, which will happen for the first time as a midnight race, starting at 12.00 in the night in Doha time(2.30am  on 28th SL time) .

Qualification criteria for this year’s World Championship was toughened so much that Hiruni had to break the Sri Lanka record as well as the South Asian marathon record to qualify for the event, clocking 2 hours 34 minutes and 10 seconds at the Dusseldorf marathon. Now Hiruni has become the only Sri Lanka representative at this year’s World Championship, a feat which she holds very dear.

“It’s my first time in Qatar and second World Championship for Sri Lanka. As everyone knows, the marathon is my favourite event and I’m very excited to run that 42.195km here. However, these are very tough conditions. Humidity here is very difficult. Heat is high, there’s a lot of sand and air quality is pretty low. I think my race tomorrow  is not so much going to be a fast time but is looking to be very competitive and tough, and I’m eyeing a top 20 finish in the world“, said Hiruni, after training at night to get acclimatized to Doha conditions on Wednesday.

Hiruni, who came to Sri Lanka last month to run in hot and humid conditions in order to prepare for the World Championship, said the conditions in Doha are far more extreme than those that prevailed in Sri Lanka last month.

“This is worse than in Sri Lanka. It almost feels like the humidity after very heavy rain, but much warmer. You find it difficult to breathe due to the thickness. This is much more difficult than anticipated and much harder”, said Hiruni.

However, the 28-year old US-based athlete observed that tough conditions may play into her hands as it will create a level playing field and a slower marathon than at other world championships.

“I don’t think anybody, unless you live here in Doha, expected or got ready for this kind of competition. That may be an advantage and will create a level playing field. What I sense and heard is that it’s going to be a slow and tactical race. It will come down to who can handle the humidity and heat the best and finish”, said Hiruni.

She also said she had to train at different times and change her sleeping and eating patterns to get ready to run at midnight.

“It’s a very difference element (midnight). Usually a marathon takes place in the morning, but I have been training at midnight and changed my sleep pattern. Also, due to the six loop running format it’s going be advantageous because we can get water and water sponge easily”, said Hiruni.

Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich is the fastest athlete in the marathon this season, clocking 2 hours, 17 minutes and 08 seconds in the event; while Hiruni isn’t even among the top 40 from the top list. If she is able to finish in the top 20 it will be the biggest achievement in her career. In 2017 she could not keep up in the race and retired midway, but she is now determined to finish every race she starts: as she did in last year’s Commonwealth Games, where she was the only finisher from Asia despite very tough conditions.