Kendagor, Kemboi lined up for Mumbai Marathon

Joshua Kipkorir from Kenya runs in the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2017 in Mumbai on January 15, 2017 [Courtesy]

Jacob Kendagor and Elijah Kemboi will lead Kenyan charges at the 2019 Tata Mumbai Marathon in January 20.

Last year, Ethiopians chalked up victories in men’s and women’s races and they lead the elite field this year. Kendagor will carry his 2:07:33 personal best to the start line. He triumphed in 2013 in men’s race at the Berlin Half Marathon in 59:36. Kemboi, 34, goes to Mumbai with a 2:07:34 marathon personal best he recorded when he led a 1-2-3-4 Kenyan finish at the 2013 Frankfurt Marathon.

He topped the Sydney Marathon in last September in 2:13:33. In 2013, he came in third at the Frankfurt Marathon, where he timed 2:07:34, another personal best.

Cosmas Lagat had 2016 reclaimed Zurich Marathon title he won on his marathon debut in 2014. That year, he was also signed up as a pacemaker before heading off on his own for a surprise win. Barcelona Marathon runner-up (2018) Silas Too, with a 2:08:26 PB and Kipkemoi Kipsang (2:08:25 PB), who came in fourth at the Cape Town marathon in September last year and form part of the Kenyan contingent.

He was second runner-up at the 2017 Seville marathon in personal best of 2:08:25, a race won by the reigning Honolulu Marathon champion Eliud Barngetuny.

Daniel Muteti, the winner of the 2018 Medellin half marathon, will make his marathon debut in the race. Leading the Ethiopian men’s list, which features four runners who have run under 2:08:00 and 11 under 2:09:00, is Abera Kuma.

Kuma, 28, ran his personal best of 2:05:50 when finishing second in last year’s Rotterdam Marathon and in that sort of form could certainly challenge the course record of 2:08:35 held by Kenya’s Gideon Kipketer.

Bahrain’s Shumi Dechasa is one man who has experience of Mumbai and indeed India, having raced in the country several times, and finishing fourth in last year’s race.

The 29-year-old Dechasa is the second fastest man in the field with a best of 2:06:43 and has been a top 15-finisher at the last two world championships, including fifth place in 2015. He will be looking to make the podium, at the very least, after the disappointment of just missing out on a top-three place 12 months ago.