NAIROBI, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Moses Mbugua and Eliud Kibet say the urge to break the course record is what has inspired them to return to compete at the Malaga Marathon on Sunday.
Mbugua, Kibet and fellow Kenyans Edwin Kimaiyo and James Barmasai will be aiming to better the current mark of 2:11:07.
Mbugua finished second in Malaga last year in a personal best time of 2:11:22. His 2:12:56 second-place finish at the Nairobi International Marathon in October, an altitude race, suggests he's in fine form.
"Nairobi Marathon was a hard race because everyone emerges as a true champion and can't rule out anyone. However, my focus now turns to Malaga where I believe I have a genuine chance to win and break the course record," said Mbugua on Saturday.
Kibet looked to be on his way to a clear win in Malaga last year but he collapsed with just 40 meters remaining and eventually wound up fourth, albeit in a personal best record of 2:11:25. His only appearance this year has been a 2:14:30 win in Ibiza.
Kimaiyo boasts a 2:09:12 PB, but his best this year is 2:13:25 set in Hannover. This will be the 33-year-old's third marathon of 2019.
The 35-year-old Barmasai, meanwhile, is fresh from a victory in Munster, Germany in September at 2:11:40, just one second outside his best time.
Ethiopian duo Negash Abebe, a 2:11:14 performer, and marathon debutante Demeke Zerihun should pose a threat to the Kenyan contingent.
The women's contest also seems wide open. Emily Samoei and Rebecca Korir are the leading Kenyan entrants.
The 39-year-old Samoei set her best of 2:26:52 back in 2012, while her most recent outing came at the San Sebastian Half Marathon where she managed a personal best time of 1:10:39.
Korir, who clocked 2:29:04 in Warsaw earlier this year, will be contesting her fifth marathon of 2019.
Selamwit Getnet Tsegaw, who ran 2:31:35 to win the Lens Marathon in April, and fellow Ethiopian Gelane Senbete, fresh from a career-best of 2:32:22 in Odense in September, will also be in contention.
Compatriot Alemitu Abera is the quickest entrant as she has a PB of 2:23:14, but that was set eight years ago and she hasn't bettered 2:31 since then. Tizita Tereza and Ayelu Abebe are also in the field.
A record number of 7500 athletes - 4150 in the marathon and 3000 in the half marathon - have entered. The forecast predicts sunny conditions with temperatures between 14-15C at the start.
