NAIROBI, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's road race specialist and world leader Erick Kiptanui and Caroline Kipkirui, the bronze medalist at the Ras Al-Khaimah in UAE will be the athletes to beat at the Delhi Half-marathon on Oct. 21.
The 27-year-old ran 58:42 in Berlin to climb to fourth on the all-time list behind World Half marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor, Samuel Wanjiru and Zersenay Tadese (Eritrea). The late Wanjiru still holds the Kenyan half marathon record at 58:33.
In Delhi, Kiptanui will be making his fourth appearance at the half marathon distance, but he believes he is strong enough to wrest the crown from the grip of Ethiopians and beat 59:06 course record time set by Ethiopia's Guye Adola in 2014.
"I have a duty to bring the title back to Kenya," said Kiptanui, Saturday in Eldoret. "My training is going on well and will be focusing on my speed work in the final two weeks."
Last year, Ethiopians Berhanu Legese (59:46) and Andamlak Belihu (59:51) took the top honors with America's Leonard Korir (59:52) settling for bronze. Now Kiptanui want to turn around the tables and secure the title.
"It is about winning and running fast time. I had not planned to run that fast in Berlin in March, but I knew it was a fast course. Now the target is improve on my personal best and see if I can attack the course record in Delhi," added Kiptanui.
The Kenyan will be joined by training partner Daniel Kipchumba, who paced him to 15km in the German capital. Another Kenyan Alex Korio will line up having also clocked sub-59 minutes for the distance.
Ethiopia's Leul Gebresilase, who was second in the Dubai Marathon this year in 2:04:02, and Olympic marathon silver medalist Feyisa Lilesa will be contenders, together with American Leonard Korir and New Zealand's Zane Robertson. Korir won bronze in Delhi last year.
Kenya's Caroline Kipkirui, who was third in the Ras Al-Khaimah half in 1:05:07, is fastest of the women's elite. Ethiopia's Worknesh Degefa, who has run 1:06:14, will try to regain the title she won in 2016. It will be the second time the two will be clashing after a memorable duel in the Prague Half Marathon in April.
Ethiopia's Yeshaneh Ababel, who in Istanbul this year and was second in Copenhagen in 65:46, will be another of the favorites. Compatriot Senbere Teferi, who has won World Championships medals on the track and cross country, will make her half marathon debut.
Zeineba Yimer of Ethiopia, Shitaye Eshete of Bahrain and Salome Nyirarukundo from Rwanda are three other sub-69 runners who will line up. Chepkirui will be targeting to challenge Kenya's Mary Keitany course record of 1:06:54. Winners, both men and women, will take home 27,000 U.S. Dollars prize.
