Champions Cheyech, Chepchirchir lead Kenya quest in Shanghai Marathon

Nairobi: Former Tokyo Marathon champion Sarah Chepchirchir and Flomena Cheyech will lead Kenya's charge at the Shanghai International Marathon on Sunday.

The two will also try to test the course record of 2:21:52 set by Tigist Tufa of Ethiopia three years ago. However, they must first prove their recovery after injuries spoilt their forms in 2018.

Chepchirchir said in Nairobi that she is eager to compete for the first time this year, hoping a good show in Shanghai will see her return to the World championships and Olympic Games in 2020.

On the other hand, Cheyech, the former Commonwealth Games champion, has had a torrid season this year, only finishing the Nagoya Marathon in March in the 19th place with a slow time of 2:33:01.

Ethiopia's Yebrgual Melese will be the one to beat. She trimmed more than three minutes off her personal best time to finish third in Dubai in 2:19:36, and clocked 2:27:47 to place second at the Yellow River Estuary International Marathon in Dongying, China. And Sunday's race will be her third marathon of the year.

Helen Tola Bekele, who will celebrate her 24th birthday next week, is another woman to watch. The Ethiopian has improved her best time each season since making her debut in 2015, recently reducing it to 2:22:48 in Berlin.

The men's race features a star-studded field, spearheaded by former world record holder Dennis Kimetto of Kenya, who remains as the biggest hope to break the 2:07:14 course record set in 2015. IANS

Also read: Sports News