Ahead of the marathon final in the World Athletics Championships, long-distance runner David Nilsson feels prepared.
- The course looks good and it will be run fast, says David Nilsson.
In Eugene, it will not be as hot as Nilsson first thought, which gives the runner optimal conditions.
But the competition in the final is fierce and the Swede hopes for the best.
"Had been extra fun"
- My goal is to hit half, it would be pretty good.
There are an enormous number of Africans and only twelve other Europeans.
If there had been more Europeans to beat, one might have hoped for a better position.
The runner has a specific goal in the final - to beat the host nation.
- It would have been extra fun to beat one of the Americans at their home ground, Nilsson says.
"Can be difficult"
The 35-year-old feels that he has good control of the track before the afternoon, despite the fact that the surface changes a lot.
- It is undulating and actually not so hilly.
It is mostly that the landscape changes from parks and grasslands to have some avenues, it is an entertaining course and scenic.
- But I think it can be difficult to reach my very best times, but I should not be so far away.
On July 17 at
15.15 (Swedish time) Sunday, David Nilsson will run the marathon final.
His brother, Marcus Nilsson, also competes in the World Athletics Championships in decathlon.
Covid crisis in Japan's squad
Prior to the race, Japan's marathon team was hit by covid-19.
Seven people have tested positive, of which two are active, the head coach and four in the management staff, the International Athletics Federation (WA) announces in a press release.
All seven have already been isolated according to the covid protocol for the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, USA.