D-day for kenya trio as Sumgong, Jepkesho and Kiprop battle for Kenya's maiden women Olympic marathon gold today

Kenya's Jemima Sumgong in action during the women's race Action Images via Reuters

Kenyans always dominate well-heeled big city marathons but an Olympic title has turned out a mountain to climb for Kenyan women.

The late Samuel Wanjiru was the first Kenyan to win an Olympic marathon gold when he bagged it in 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Catherine Ndereba, 2011 London Marathon winner Prisca Jeptoo among others have made sterling efforts but only managed silver medal.

Ndereba, then a two-time world champion, went to the 2004 Athens Olympics hoping to wear Kenya's first Olympic marathon but bagged silver behind Mizuki Noguchi of Japan.

Four years later, Ndereba who had won gold at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan as a red-hot favourite for gold, once played the bridesmaid role as Romania's Constatina Tomescu chalked up victory.

And hunt for the missing women's jewel kicks off this afternoon at 3:30pm Kenyan time when Kenyan starlets line up on the Rio streets.

Jerimiah Sumgong, who defied the odds even after taking a fall to win London Marathon race last April, shoulders the hopes of an expectant nation in bid to break jinx.

Apart from the London marathon, Sumgong has a medal-laden belt that include wins in Rotterdam and Las Vegas marathons and also runner-up spots in Chicago, Boston and New York Marathons.

For some time, the smiling Sumgong lurked in the shadow of the marathon queens Edna Kiplagat and Mary Keitany in major marathons and London Marathon victory would slide her into Kenya's annals of marathon history this evening.

"Making it to the Olympics is a big achievement and we will try together with my teammates to ensure that we win the gold medal for Kenya," Sumgong told Feverpitch.

Sumgong carries a brilliant 2:20:48 best mark to the line up alongside Paris Marathon winner Visiline Jepkesho and Helen Kiprop, the world silver medalist.

Kiprop, who comes from Elgeyo Marakwet County, had a tough duel in Beijing Worlds against Ethiopia's Mare Dibaba which stretched all the way into the stadium, with the Ethiopian only beating her just a few metres to the tape. And she would out to change the pecking order and stand in the middle of the podium this evening.

On her part, Jepkesho does not boast of any major global title or a big city marathon win, but with championships marathons always unpredictable, she can never be ruled out of contention.

Just like it happened at World Championships, the battle for gold will once again be between Kenya and Ethiopia, with Dibaba leading the Ethiopian onslaught. Also in Ethiopia's team are Trife Tsegaye and Tigist Tufa.

Former Kenyan Eunice Kirwa, now running in Bahrain colours will also be in the mix. Kirwa pushed Kiprop and Dibaba all the way in Beijing before eventually settling for bronze.