RIO GAMES SLOTS UP FOR GRABS: AK sets Olympic marathon selection criteria

Men's champion Kipsang of Kenya runs next to elite runners while they make their way across Manhattan during the New York City Marathon in New York

Defending champions Wilson Kipsang’ and Mary Keitany will return for another shot at the New York City Marathon on Sunday.

Kipsang and Keitany, who have won other high-profile city marathons, have their work cut out as they battle to impress Athletics Kenya (AK) to draft them into 2016 Rio Olympics squad.

The showpiece comes barely days after AK announced its Rio Olympics marathon selection criterion, which pegs qualification on performance and results achieved in the 2015-2016 World Marathon Majors (WWM) series and the Beijing IAAF World Championships.

AK will assess the athletes based on their performance in Tokyo Marathon 2015/2016, London Marathon 2015/2016, Berlin Marathon 2015, Chicago Marathon 2015, New York Marathon 2015 and any other marathon in 2015 and not later than 30th April, 2016.

“The athletes selected will be announced on May 1, 2016 and thereafter will be informed when and where to go for a residential training camp in preparation for the Olympic Games,” said the AK statement.

Keitany, who is married to half-marathon specialist Charles Koech, returns to the Big Apple four months after winning Oakley New York Mini 10km run that started at the Central Park – the finish line for the New York City Marathon.

The Iten-based Keitany won last year in 2:25.07 and now heads for her fourth appearance in the American race.

“I have prepared well. I manage pressure and I must give it my best, knowing very well that everybody wants to compete in the Olympics. Anyway, I will handle it like any other marathon,” said Keitany.

Keitany, who completed her secondary education at Nairobi’s Hidden Talent Academy in 2005, made her debut at the New York City Marathon in 2010 where she wound up third.

Prisca Jeptoo, the 2013 New York City marathon winner and Olympic silver medalist, marathon debutant and 2011 World 10,000m silver medallist Sally Kipyego and reigning Boston Marathon champion Caroline Rotich will all be in the line-up on Sunday.

They will face stiff challenge from the Ethiopia’s London Marathon winner Tigist Tufa, Aselefech Mergia and Buzunesh Deba, the duo who have run a sub-2:20 marathon.

But Kipsang, who dropped out mid-way at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing last August, is keen to make amends as he guns for a second bite at the cherry.

Kipsang was breathing fire before leaving for New York: “I expect to defend my title. That’s what I have been working on since when I arrived from Beijing in August.”

Kipsang, who was born and bred in Muskut village in Kerio Valley, targets a sub 2:04, which would see him set a new course record.

“If the weather will favour me, I will target a sub-2:04 or any improvement of my previous winning time in the course,” he said.

Kipsang ran 46:42 minutes to finish seventh at the Dam to Damloop 10 miles in Netherlands in September which he believes has helped sharpen his speed.

He will line up against world cross country champion Geoffrey Kamworor.