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Kenya's Arusei sets eyes on Athens Marathon

Xinhua, November 12, 2016 Adjust font size:

With the World Championships almost nine months away, Peninah Arusei believes she still has the ability to force her way into the Kenya team.

Her quest will start with the Athens Marathon, which will be on Sunday where she will come up against stiff challenge from her compatriots.

"The training has gone to plan and I'm feeling good. I should say I am peaking at the moment and a win in Athens may just signify the same. I want to do my best and hopefully force the coaches to select me for the World Championships," she said.

The 32-year-old Wanjiru made a successful trip to the Brighton city in England in 2015 to win in 2:34:25.

Last December she achieved another victory in Spain, winning the Malaga title in 2:37:46. Also coming into contention should be her compatriot Gladys Kwambai. The 33-year-old has a best of 2:36:14 in finishing seventh in Warsaw in 2015.

A runner who might cause a surprise is Nancy Arusei. The Kenyan won the Remich Half Marathon in Luxembourg with a personal best of 72:31 in September and will be making her debut at the distance in the Athens Marathon.

In the men's race, no marathon runner has ever broken 2:10 (course record 2:10:37). This is the target which the elite men have set themselves on Sunday.

A group of leading Kenyan runners with Luka Rotich as their head, are planning a race tempo to achieve exactly that.

A record entry of 17,500 runners from 105 countries will compete in the race, who will be running on the same tough course that produced the first marathon winner of the Modern Olympic era 120 years ago.

Kenya's Augustine Rono is the fastest man on the start list with his 2:07:23 from Hamburg in 2012. Silas Limo also from Kenya ran 2:08:54 for second place in Australia's Gold Coast Marathon in 2015.

Duncan Kwemboi's best is 2:08:34, set in finishing third at the Serengeti Marathon in Tanzania in 2014. Another who should be among the favourites is the 2013 Athens champion, Hillary Yego of Kenya, who triumphed three years ago in 2:13:50. Endit