NAIROBI, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- There will be no love lost when Kenyan trio Fancy Chemutai, Brigid Kosgei and Peres Jepchirchir lock horns on Friday at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
While respect will be shown to individual achievements, tempers could quickly flare as the trio push for a world record time in their build up to the marathons in April.
Former champion Chemutai has been categorical. She intends to break the record and when she threw down the gauntlet, Kosgei was happy to retort saying she is equally ready for the task.
On the other hand, former half marathon world record holder Peres Jepchirchir and reigning world half marathon champion Netsanet Gudeta from Ethiopia may just play the spoiler's role.
Either way, a fast time is on the cards in the UAE city. Chemutai, the second-fastest female ever in half marathon is adamant the new mark is hers for the taking.
"It is the same race where I almost break the world record in 2018. This time the course is faster and I want the world record," Chemutai emphatically said on Thursday.
Joan Chelimo Melly, Birhane Ababel Yeshane, Evaline Chirchir and Rosemary Wanjiru will be some top contenders in the field eyeing to pull the rag underneath the world stars' feet.
Kosgei, the world marathon record holder, says she is relaxed and focused on her goal.
"The return to Ras Al Khaimah is only down to one thing, improve my personal best time on the half marathon course. I look forward to running fast with this strong field."
Kosgei is using the Ras Al Khaimah event as training to gauge her preparedness ahead of the London Marathon on April 26.
The men's race too has been psyched up and to produce a fast time. The elite team is led by Ethiopia's Mule Wasihun who posted a fast time of 2:03:16 in London Marathon last year and a 59:34 mark in Ras Al Khaimah half marathon in 2019.
There is also European half-marathon record holder Julien Wanders from Switzerland among the field of 11 top athletes.
