At a news conference on Friday, the 38-year-old Ethiopian made it clear that he would rather lose in a quick time than win a fifth Berlin title in a slower tactical race. "My target is London, London is everybody's dream," Gebrselassie told a news conference on Friday.
"My goal and plan is London. I decided to come back here to run a fast time, the time is most important on Sunday, not the win because I have to qualify for the next Olympics."
Gebrselassie, 38, turned to the marathon after winning four successive world 10,000 metres titles and the 1996 and 2000 Olympic gold medals. He clocked his world record of two hours three minutes 59 seconds on the flat, fast Berlin course in 2008 after making his marathon debut six years earlier in London.
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