Kamworor, Keitany back in New York for glory

After breaking the World half marathon record in Denmark last month, Geoffrey Kamworor says he is ready to reclaim his New York City marathon title.

Kamworor, who relinquished his title to Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopia last year, clocked 58:01 at the Copenhagen Half Marathon to set a new world record in the 21km race.

And the two-time IAAF World Cross Country champion is predicting fast times when he returns to Central Park for his title reclamation bid on Sunday.

“I know everyone expects me to do well, I want to assure them am ready my training has gone well after breaking the record that showed how prepared I am for the challenge,” Kamworor said.

He will renew his rivalry with Olympic silver medalist and title-holder Desisa, and his Ethiopian compatriot Shura Kitata who finished second last year.

Desisa set the second-fastest time ever recorded on the course 2:05:59, in an all-out sprint to the finish, while Kamworor managed third place.

“I won it in 2017 for the first time but lost in my second attempt, this year am ready and my opponents are well aware, New York is not a fast course so despite the inspiration by the half marathon record not much should be expected but I’ll do my best and try to give a good result,” he added.

Others in the men’s elite race will be U.S. Olympians Abdi Abdirahman and Jared Ward, who finished 8th in Boston this year in a personal best of 2:09:25.

In the women’s race, 2018 champion Mary Keitany will be the main focus as she attempts to be the first one ever to win fifth New York City marathon title.

Last year, the women’s-only marathon record holder (2:17:01) won the race in 2:22:48, the second-fastest time ever recorded on the course.

Challenging her will be a stellar international field including 2019 NYC Half marathon champion Joyceline Jepkosgei, who also holds the half marathon world record, and Sinead Diver, who finished seventh in the London Marathon this year.

Also in the field is nine-time U.S. champion Aliphine Tuliamuk, who finished runner-up to Keitany in the 2018 New York Mini 10K.