NAIROBI, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Defending champions Cosmas Lagat and Ethiopia's Worknesh Alemu have announced their fitness and are ready to not only seek back-to-back titles at the Mumbai Marathon but also attack the course record in the Indian city on Sunday.
Kenya's Lagat won in Mumbai last year in decisive fashion when he broke away from the rest of the leading pack around 29 kilometers into the race.
He raced twice more in 2019 but injuries in the middle of the year derailed his hopes of building on his success in the City of Dreams in January 2019.
"I had injuries to my left calf and Achilles tendon. It happens in training sometimes," he said, demonstrating where his problems were on Friday.
"However, I am back in good training now and I think all is well. I train with Lawrence Cherono, who was the winner of the Boston and Chicago Marathons last year, and I do the same training as him so I think I can perform as well as him," said Lagat.
"Running here last year and doing so well has given me confidence that I can win again, and I am thinking about the course record. I have learned how to run this race better," added Lagat.
Last year, Lagat crossed the line at 2:09:15, the second-fastest time in the race's history and just 40 seconds outside the course record of 2:08:35 set by his compatriot Gideon Kipketer in 2016.
The race has a first prize cheque of 45,000 U.S. dollars for both men and women.
Lagat will be aiming to become just the second man to win back-to-back titles in the race's 17-year history, following in the footsteps of fellow Kenyan John Kelai who won in 2007 and 2008.
