Olympic rookie

Martin Lel will make his Olympic debut for the powerful Kenyan distance squad this summer in Beijing, where he figures to contend for gold in the men's marathon.

London records falling
Before turning his attention to Beijing, Lel returned to the British capital and claimed his third London Marathon title in the last four years. He shrugged off young compatriot Sammy Wanjiru and Abderrahim Goumri of Morocco in the last quarter of a mile to cross the line first in 2:05:15, 23 seconds inside Khalid Khannouchi’s event record. Lel joined Mexico's Dionico Ceron (1994-1996) and Portugal's Antoinio Pinto (1992, '97, 2000) as the only men to win the race three times since its inception in 1981.

Perfect season
While Lel did not run at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan, it's hard to argue against him being the big marathon winner of the 2007 season with a pair of victories in World Marathon Majors. Lel won the London Marathon in two hours, seven minutes, 41 seconds, the 16th fastest time in the world. He followed that by winning his second career title at the New York City Marathon, where he ran 2:09:04.

Sprung a surprise
Two years after his breakthrough victory in New York City, Lel posted perhaps his biggest surprise when he ran away with the 2005 London Marathon title. Lel clocked two hours seven minutes 26 seconds to finish 23 seconds ahead of world champion Jaouard Gharib of Morocco.

Coming to America
Lel's first trip to the United States was for the 2003 Boston Marathon, where he placed third. He said the last two miles of that hot day were the worst he has ever felt in a race. Winning the Rock 'n' Roll Half and the World Half Marathon Championship that summer, plus increased speed training, gave him confidence heading into the 2003 New York City Marathon, where at 18 miles he ran away from Rodgers Rop to claim his first marathon win.

Running to the store
Although he had earned a running scholarship to pay for secondary school, Lel awoke at 6 every morning for four years to put in an hour of running before working a full day in his parents' grocery story in Kapsabet. A strong run at one of Gabriele Rosa's Discovery Runs in Eldoret got him invited to the camp in February 2002, and by April he made his first trip to compete in Europe.
 
From foes to friends
Back in their school days in Kenya, Lel used the bicycle of Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot without his permission, angering Cheruiyot to the point where he hit Lel with a stick. It wasn't a severe beating, but Lel has never forgotten it. Since then, the two childhood enemies have become fast friends and brilliant marathoner