Haile Gebrselassie vows to take his world record count to 30

LONG-DISTANCE running legend Haile Gebrselassie has vowed to take his world record tally above 30 - even if that means resisting retirement until after London 2012.

LONG HAUL: Double Olympic champion Haile Gebrselassie vows to keep going until London 2012 (Getty Images)

Gebrselassie, 36, has held 26 world records since 1994 in distances ranging from two miles to the marathon - a record he currently holds at 2:3.59 hours.

Kenya's Olympic marathon gold medallist Sammy Wanjiru - 14 years Gebrselassie's junior - stated his intention to break the Ethiopian's record after a blistering performance at the London Marathon - recording the seventh fastest finish of all time.

Double Olympic gold medallist Gebrselassie is unlikely to relinquish his record without a fight however, and while he will be 39 when London stages the Games, the four-time world champion has already set his sights on marathon glory.

Gebrselassie will be looking to secure a second BUPA Great Manchester Run title on Sunday, having won on his debut appearance at the event in 2005.

And he is confident he can add one more record to his cluttered CV and surpass Kenyan Micah Kogo's 10,000m world record time - set in Manchester two years ago - of 27:21 minutes.

The event is part of the BUPA Great City Games where Usain Bolt will line up in a 150m street race, his first competition since being injured in a car crash in April.

"I think Usain being here will inspire me to go faster," Gebrselassie added.

"There is a possibility to do something here, my preparation has been very good. The English public are going to get to see something very special with Bolt."

ANDREW BROOK