Kenya's Kiplagat eyes another record run at Barcelona half marathon

With focus on the Olympics, Florence Kiplagat, the Half Marathon record holder, has confirmed she will return to the Barcelona to defend her title on Feb. 14.

Indeed Kiplagat has forged a love relationship with the city of Barcelona, where she set a world record last year in winning the 21km race in 65 minutes and 09 second.

And while the world will be marking the Valentine's Day, Kiplagat will be spreading her love on the streets of Barcelona eyeing her third world half marathon tile.

"I have been training well for this event and will be back in Barcelona in February to try and defend my crown," she said, Wednesday from Eldoret.

Kiplagat will be aiming to break the world half marathon record for the third time in a row.

Kiplagat, the 2010 world half marathon champion, set a world record of 1:05:12 two years ago in Barcelona.

She took three seconds off that mark at the 2015 edition, also setting world records for 15km (46:14) and 20km (1:01:54) along the way.

The 28-year-old Kenyan went on to win the Chicago Marathon in October, her third big city marathon win following her 2011 and 2013 triumphs in Berlin.

But with the Olympics on the horizon, Kiplagat will be running sparingly as she also plans to compete at the London marathon in April, where Kenya will select its Olympic team for marathon in Rio.

Four years ago, Kiplagat was a distant fifth in London and was overlooked for the Kenya team to the London Olympics.

"This time round, I will put in my best and hopefully be among the best three Kenyans if not winning London marathon. But that can wait, now the focus is on the Barcelona Half marathon where I have a big challenge to retain my title," she said. Endit