Kirui, Kiplagat set for Chicago Marathon

ATHLETICS-BRITAIN-MARATHON Kenyan elite runner, Abel Kirui poses during a photocall for the men's marathon elite athletes outside Tower Bridge in central London on April 20, 2017 ahead of the upcoming London Marathon. / AFP PHOTO / Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS

Athletics: Stars to clash in chase for World Marathon Majors pay cheque

Duo inspired by good show by Geoffrey Kirui at London worlds.

Abel Kirui and Florence Kiplagat will be back for another shot at their titles at the Chicago Marathon on October 8.

Kirui and Kiplagat, who are managed by Dutch man Jos Hermens of Global Sports Communications based in Nijmegen in The Netherlands, will no doubt draw inspiration from newly crowned world champion Geoffrey Kirui, who is in their stable.

Kirui, the two-time world marathon champion, said: “First I must congratulate my team mate Geoffrey Kirui for reclaiming my title. I feel inspired for a top three in Chicago and if I win, the better. I have had positive body responses.”

World record-holder Dennis Kimetto, half marathon world record-holder Zersenay Tadese and three-time Olympic gold medallist Tirunesh Dibaba are among an armada of marathon stars lined for the American 42km run.

In a tactical race last year, Kirui held off Dickson Chumba to win by three seconds in 2:11:23.

The two-time world champion has a personal best of 2:05:04 and finished fourth at this year’s London Marathon in 2:07:45, his fastest time since winning the second of his world titles in 2011.

Kimetto returns to Chicago for the first time since setting a course record of 2:03:45 in 2013. Prior to that, he ran the fastest marathon debut in history in Berlin in 2012 (2:04:16) and in 2014 he became the first athlete in history to cover the marathon within 2:03, clocking a world record of 2:02:57 in Berlin.

Tadese, a six-time world champion on the roads and cross-country, has only finished three marathons. While his official personal best is 2:10:41, the 2004 Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist ran 2:06:51 in the Breaking2 marathon so will be looking to replicate that kind of form in Chicago.

Kenya’s Stephen Sambu made his marathon debut in Chicago in 2016, finishing fifth in 2:13:35. With PBs of 26:54.61 for 10,000m and 1:00:41 for the half marathon, it would appear the 29-year-old is capable of significantly improving his marathon PB.

Japanese quartet Kohei Mastsumura, Yuki Takamiya, Chihiro Miyawaki and Ryoichi Matsuo add further strength to this year’s field. Matsumara is the fastest of the four, having set a PB of 2:08:09 at the 2014 Tokyo Marathon.

Kiplagat returns to chase her third title in a row and her fourth podium finish.

The 2010 world half marathon champion has a marathon PB of 2:19:44.