TOKYO, Nov 18: Former world record holder Haile Gebrselassie will run in February’s Tokyo Marathon as he looks to qualify for the 2012 Olympics, Japanese organisers said on Friday.

The 38-year-old Ethiopian, whose world best was shattered by Kenyan Patrick Makau in Berlin in September, pulled out of Tokyo last year with bruised knees after falling on a practice run.

Gebrselassie returned to form with victory at a half marathon in Birmingham last month after dropping out of the Berlin Marathon with asthma trouble as Makau raced away.

A four-times world and twice Olympic champion at 10,000 metres has insisted he will carry on his quest to qualify for next year’s London Games.

The Tokyo Marathon takes place on Feb. 26.—Reuters