By John Kwoba
NAIROBI, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Samuel Ndungu is aiming to reclaim the Lisbon Marathon title on Sunday.
Ndungu is among a horde of Kenyan runners who will be eyeing fast times in the Portuguese capital with hopes to impress the selectors ahead of the World Championships in Doha, Qatar next year.
Speaking in Nairobi, Ndungu said his training has gone on well without any fear of injury and he is in his best shape as he returns to Lisbon.
"The training has been tough, but very good. Everything has been to plan and now, I am ready to see where I rank against the best in the world," said Ndungu.
"I believe the selectors will offer upcoming marathon runners a chance to represent Kenya and that is why I want to run a fast time in Lisbon."
Indeed Ndungu has every reason to win and retain his course record in Lisbon. In 2014, Ndungu clocked the 2:08:21 course record that he intends to improve.
The Kenyan, who has a 2:07:04 personal best, is joining two other past winners including compatriots Alfred Kering (2:07:11), winner in 2016 with 2:10:27, and Ishmael Bushendich (2:08:20), the defending champion who clocked 2:10:51 last year. The 27-year-old finished second in the Vienna Marathon earlier this year.
However, they will have to watch Ethiopian Girmay Birhanu Gebru, who has a personal best of 2:05:49, who was fifth in the Rome marathon last April and Kenyan Erik Ndiema, who set his personal best of 2:06.07 at the 2013 Paris Marathon.
The field also includes Ethiopian Birhan Nebebew, the winner of last year's Lisbon Half Marathon with 1:00:53 credentials.
In the women's race, Ethiopian Guteni Shone is the fastest in the field with a 2:23:32 lifetime best. That suggests that the course record of 2:24:13, set by Kenyan Sarah Chepchirchir in 2016, could be within reach.
Other strong contenders include Kenyan Monica Jepkoech, a 2:24:31 marathoner who was third at the Seoul Marathon in March, Ethiopian Tigist Memuye (2:27:39) and her compatriot Muluhabt Tsega (2:28:08).
