Judith Korir and defending champion Moses Kibet bracing up for tough battle in Australia

ATHLETICS Judith Korir and defending champion Moses Kibet bracing up for tough battle in Australia

Abigael Wafula 08:15 - 17.09.2023

The Sydney Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Platinum Label road race, is scheduled for Sunday.

A thrilling show is expected at the Sydney Marathon, presented by ASICS, a World Athletics Elite Platinum Label road race, that will take place on Sunday.

Some of the elite athletes who will be in action include Gabriel Geay, Moses Kibet, Angela Tanui, and Judith Korir.

In the women’s field, Korir, 27, will be making her Australian debut. She finished sixth at this year’s London Marathon in April.

She also finished second behind Ethiopia’s Gotytom Gebreslase in a Personal Best time of 2:18:20 at last year’s World Championships in Oregon.

Korir will lock horns with compatriot Tanui, who ran 2:17:57 to win the 2021 Amsterdam Marathon. Tanui finished fourth at the 2022 Tokyo Marathon and finished sixth last year in Oregon.

As quoted by World Athletics, Haven Hailu Desse is among the seven Ethiopian athletes in the field and she will look to complete her first marathon since winning in Osaka in 2:21:13 in January. Her PB of 2:20:19 was also set in Amsterdam in 2021.

Eritrea’s Nazret Weldu finished fourth and then eighth in the past two World Championships marathons, while Siranesh Yirga Dagne has a best of 2:21:08.

Tanzania’s Geay leads the men’s field with a PB of 2:03:00 that he set at the Valencia Marathon last year. He was off to a good start to his season, finishing second at the Boston Marathon in April. He also finished seventh at the World Championships marathon in Oregon last year.

Kibet, the defending champion will prove to be Geay’s greatest challenger since he has the knowledge of the course and has more experience when it comes to racing in Australia.

Another Kenyan, Jonathan Korir (2:04:32), will also be in the race contending for the top prize. Ethiopia’s Abayneh Degu (2:04:53), Abraham Kipkemboi Kiptoo (2:05:04), Morocco’s Othmane El Goumri (2:05:12), Ethiopia’s Amedework Walelegn (2:05:27) and Kenya’s Laban Korir (2:05:41) have also confirmed participation.