Men ready to reclaim late Wanjiru gong

Men's 1st place winner Stanley Biwott from Keyna crosses the finish line in the TCS New York City Marathon in New York November 1, 2015. Biwott won the New York Marathon on Sunday, capturing his first major marathon victory in 2hr 10min 34sec. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY

Olympic marathon coach Richard Metto and New York Marathon winner Stanley Biwott leave for Rio this morning, for the Olympics marathon showdown on August 21.

Metto, who works for Global Sports Communications and One-Four-One camps in Kaptagat will be another figure in the race.

Wesely Korir, the Team Kenya captain left on Thursday evening and will link up with Biwott in Brazil. Eliud Kipchoge, the two-time London Marathon winner, will leave tomorrow evening.

The late Samuel Wanjiru is the only Kenyan to have won an Olympics marathon gold.

"We wound up the last session of our training recently in Moiben and I can say that the preparations are going on well. We are ready to perform well in Rio," said Kipchoge, who is eyeing Olympic gold after bagging bronze (2004) and silver (2008) in 5,000m and a world title in 2003 in Paris.

Kipchoge, who missed the 42km world record by eight seconds in London Marathon last April, has been tipped for honours.

Kenyans will be up against defending champion, Uganda's Stephen Kiprotich. He is Kipchoge's training mate in Kaptagat.

"Kenyans should expect stiff competition from us and I hope to perform well. Through God's favour, everything is possible and standing tall at the podium will not be by chance but because of hard training and believing in Him," he said.

Korir is confident that the athletes will bring home two marathon gold medals from the men's and the women's races.

"Preparations for Rio gave me the best training I have never done in my running career," said Korir.