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Abel Kirui will be going for the top prize at the Fukuoka Marathon with fingers crossed concerning the weather.
2016 Chicago Marathon champion Abel Kirui is a man on a mission as he plots a grand return to the Fukuoka International Marathon on Sunday.
During a pre-race press conference, the two-time world champion explained that he will be keen to lower his Personal Best time which currently stands at 2:05:04. He clocked that during the 2009 Rotterdam Marathon.
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14:07 - 20.11.2023
ATHLETICS Abel Kirui using Fukuoka Marathon to stake claim for Olympics slot
Two-time World champion Abel Kirui will be hoping to make an impact at the Fukuoka Marathon next month as he seeks a grand return to the Olympic Games.
“My ambition is to win the race but I will also be looking to improve my Personal Best time if my body will be in good condition,” Kirui said.
He has his fingers crossed about the weather and he is hopeful that there will be no wind. He emphasised that weather changes adversely affect athletes and it is a huge contributing factor to how they will perform.
“We hope there will be no wind because climate is another huge factor in how we perform. If everything is done well and the pace is okay, I will be hoping to push my Personal Best time,” Kirui said.
Meanwhile, in the race, Kirui will enjoy the company of Bethwel Yegon and Michael Githae, some of the top Kenyan runners who have also confirmed participation at the event.
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The Kenyan charge will be challenged by Ethiopia’s Abebe Negewo Degefa, who is the only athlete in the field to have gone under the 2:05:50 and he will be looking to make an impact at the event.
Also, in the race, there are six athletes on the entry list who have run under 2:07. Shaohui Yang will lead the home charge and holds the countries second fastest-ever time of 2:07:49 that he got early this year at the Wuxi Marathon.
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