Chebet to lead Kenyan stars in Frankfurt Marathon

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

Three-time Amsterdam Marathon winner Wilson Chebet will lead Kenyan charges at the 37th Frankfurt Marathon on Sunday.

He will carry his 2:25.27 best mark set in 2011 Rotterdam Marathon to the start line against a strong line up that has Weldon Kirui, Gilbert Yegon and Martin Kosgey. Ethiopia’s Kelkile Gezahegn, who boasts a personal best time of 2:05.56, is also in the mix.

Chebet must be at his best to prove his mettle, having missed out in action in the last few years.

Not bad for the 31-year-old who completed Standard Eight at Kaptalamwa Primary School and then proceeded to Lelan Secondary School.

But the fifth born in a family of six was then forced to discontinue schooling for lack of school fees.

He then decided to try his hand in business buying sheep in Lelan and transport them to Kaptalamwa market. That did not work out and he picked up athletics.

He has won Amsterdam and Rotterdam Marathon, which earned him nick-name ‘Mr Amsterdam.’

Chebet will lead the bid to lower former world record holder Wilson Kipsang’s course record of 2:03.42 set in 2011.

Kosgey stands out as another potential favourite thanks to his runner up spot in 2016 Frankfurt Marathon where he set his personal best of 2:07:22 before finishing fourth in 2:09:39 last year. Mark Korir won the race in 2:06:48 last year.

Ethiopia’s Guye Adola poses strong challenge as he takes his 2:03.46 he set when he finished second behind Eliud Kipchoge at the 2017 Berlin Marathon.

Gezahegn improved his personal best by two minutes to finish second in Frankfurt in 2:06:56 and improved to 2:05:56 for third place in Rotterdam earlier this year.

Organisers said they expect tongue-wagging clashes in the men’s race.

After setting personal best of 2:09:12 in Tokyo in 2017, Hiroyuki Yamamoto will lead a strong Japanese contingent in the IAAF Gold Label race.

German record-holder Arne Gabius will compete in the German race for the fourth time. The 37-year-old has run under 2:10 in three previous marathons in Frankfurt, which no other German runner has broken that barrier for over 25 years now.

The women’s course record of 2:21:01was set by Ethiopia’s Meselech Melkamu in 2012.

Paris marathon winner Betsy Saina, Valentine Kipketer, Nancy Kiprop and Janet Rono headline Kenyan line up. They will be up against Ethiopians Mare Dibaba.