DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - " Haile Gebrselassie wants to break his own world record on Friday at the Dubai Marathon. The 36-year-old Ethiopian has extra incentive. He will pick up a $1 million bonus -on top of the $250,000 winner's prize - if he improves on the record of 2 hours, 3 minutes, 59 seconds he set in Berlin in 2008. “To break the world record in marathon, everything needs to be perfect,” Gebrselassie said two days ahead of his first race in 2010. “This year it looks like it's possible.” He'd also set his 27th world record overall. “If I break the record, it will be special,” Gebrselassie said. “If not, what can I do? I have to think of the next marathon.” That will be “somewhere in Europe”, Gebrselassie added. But he's focused on Dubai's race, putting in the hard training and feeling confident about the 26.2-mile effort on the streets of Dubai's Persian Gulf coast. His top rivals will be Kenyan runners Sammy Korir, Shadrack Kiplagat and Daniel Yego. In the women's field, defending champion Bezunesh Bekele Sertsu will be challenged by Ethiopian teammate Askale Tafa Magarsa and Helena Kirop of Kenya. In September, Gebrselassie won the Berlin Marathon for the fourth straight time, finishing in 2:06:08. He was on a pace to break his record for the first 18 miles, but slowed once his last pacemaker dropped out of the race. Last year, Gebrselassie easily won the Dubai race, but steady rain hampered his bid to beat his own record.
