LONDON, April 14: Britain’s Paula Radcliffe will be given a head start of seven minutes and 52 seconds when she takes on Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie in a unique half marathon chase race in Vienna on Sunday.

Marathon world record holder Radcliffe’s advantage is the difference between the two athletes’ personal bests over the distance, organisers said on Friday.

Radcliffe, 38, has a recognised best of 66 minutes 47 seconds, although she has recorded faster on a downhill course, while Gebrselassie’s mark is 58.55, which was a world record when he set it in 2006.

The event, run as part of the Vienna City Marathon, will be Radcliffe’s first race of 2012.—Reuters