By John Kwoba
NAIROBI, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Philemon Rono will be targeting his third successive title at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Oct 21.
Only his compatriot Kenneth Mungara has enjoyed more success in Canada's biggest city, winning four times (2008-2011). Rono made history a year ago when he also ran the fastest marathon ever on Canadian soil. His time of 2:06:52 was also a personal best.
"I'm very happy to go to Toronto again. I met friends there from Kenya, they came from many different places in Kenya," said Rono.
Last year, the 27-year-old Rono's performance earned him 45,000 U.S. dollars for setting a Canadian all-comers' record in addition to 20,000 U.S. dollars first place prize money.
Like many of the world's best marathon runners, Rono prefers to race just two marathons a year.
Although he started Boston in April, the dreadful conditions scuppered his plans and he failed to finish. That might well prove to be a positive development in his build-up to Toronto. Now his focus is completely on getting his Toronto hat-trick.
"It is important for me to want to write history, to become the man to win three consecutive Toronto races and to set a course record again," he said. "It's possible to run faster and if the weather is good then, maybe, another personal best time."
Coached by Patrick Sang, the 1992 Olympic steeplechase silver medalist, Rono has had to train with champion marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge.
Laban Korir, another training partner, prepped Rono for his Toronto Waterfront debut two years ago by telling him details about the course and weather conditions. Korir was the 2014 Toronto champion and finished third in 2015.
But it is Kipchoge whom every athlete in the camp reveres the most.
"He inspires me," Rono admits proudly. "Mostly when we see Eliud and how he acts. When it is time to go for training, it is time for training. When it is time for rest, we rest. When it's time to jog, it's time for jogging. We watch everything he does."
