NAIROBI, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Defending champion Priscilla Kipruto Chepatiy says he is upbeat ahead of the 2019 Beverly Wuxi Marathon in China.
Chepatiy made a late departure from Nairobi for the Chinese marathon, but remained optimistic he will deliver the gold. The race will be held on Sunday and is part of the IAAF silver label competition.
"I have high expectations because my training has gone according to plan," said Chepatiy in Nairobi.
Last year Chepatiy came from nowhere to notch her 2:33:34 victory in the southeastern Chinese city in what was just her first official race over the classic distance.
Chepatiy will face stiff challenge on Sunday to retain the women's title as the organizers have assembled a quality field aiming to break the course record of 2:29:17 set by Ayelu Abebe Hordofa of Ethiopia in 2017.
"At this level of competition, everyone is a star and you cannot get an easier rival. But I will do well," she said.
China's Zhu Xiaolin, who celebrated her 35th birthday last month, owns the fastest personal best in the field. She clocked 2:23:57 to finish third at the 2002 Beijing Marathon and has run over ten races finishing under two hours and 30 minutes.
She finished fourth in 2:27:16 at the Beijing Olympic Games but has been off the radar since finishing fifth in 2:24:48 at the London Olympic Games in 2012.
The field also includes Esther Macharia of Kenya, past winner of the Graz, Bregenz, Dublin, Lyon and Bresica Marathons, who just improved her career best to 2:30:46 in Hefei last November.
The men's course record is 2:12:47, set by Ethiopian Berga Birhanu Bekele last year, also looks vulnerable as the 28-year-old local favorite Li, the 2015 winner with a personal best time of 2:13:12. Enditem
