On Wednesday, Therese Johaug will start the half marathon in Grue.
Ever since February, the race has been sold out, but Johaug was awarded a so-called “wildcard” in the competition.
Johaug himself has delivered a bombshell to the organiser:
She is registered for the expected finish time of 1.09.30, which in the event will be a very strong debut time over the distance.
In addition, the time will be within the requirement to qualify for the half marathon in the EC in Rome, which is 1.10.30. That time must be set by 26 May.
Race start on Wednesday is 1.40pm!
Not happened in 14 years
Top five
Should she manage her goal, it will also bring her up among the top five in Norway of all time.
Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal has her best time of 1.07.34 achieved in the Copenhagen Half Marathon last autumn.
– It will be exciting to see how fast she runs. Therese is very fond of running and wants to run 1.10.59 or better, says NRK’s athletics commentator Jann Post.
He believes the ski queen is well prepared.
– She has trained well in sessions at the mill, and a couple of hard sessions outside in recent weeks, and seems to be well prepared, says Post.
GETTING EXCITING: NRK’s athletics commentator Jann Post is excited about Johaug’s performance during the half-marathon in Grue. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB
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– The question is how well she can withstand the distance on asphalt muscularly. The capacity is enough. First of all, I hope that the race adds more flavor, he adds.
Strong time
– We appreciate that when Johaug makes her half marathon debut, she chooses us. The time she suggests is quite strong. Last year, the best man ran in around 1.09.00, said race director Hans Terje Nesbråten to Dagbladet after her participation became known.
Johaug made a strong comeback in the NM in March, and won by a margin of almost three minutes.
Johaug has hinted several times that it might be relevant to make a comeback before the World Ski Championships in Trondheim in a year’s time.
Together with Johaug, Hans Christer Holund will test his strength with the Norgeseliten, in Norway’s fastest route.
– The track is toad flat, with a negative curve towards the finish line. You can compare it with the flattest slopes in Europe. If we’re lucky with the weather, it won’t be a problem to run fast, race leader Nesbråten told Dagbladet in February.
– Sad case for all parties
His first competitive race
The twin sisters and influencers Vita and Wanda Mashadi from Eidskog can also be found among the participants on the start lists.
The race is the twins’ very first competitive race.
Together with their over 100,000 followers, they have shared content from their training sessions.
– I haven’t slept in several days. After all, you get completely “sick”, said Wanda Mashadi to NRK the day before the race.
The twins will participate in the race’s 10 kilometers.
Nils-Ingar Aadne, known as “Nilsi”, training influencer Pernille Ski Torp and TV personality and journalist, Bahare Viken are also among the celebrities who will start.
