NAIROBI, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Georgina Jepkirui Rono has shaken off her injury worries to headline the field at the Riga Marathon in Latvia on Sunday.
The former Frankfurt Marathon champion, with her current best time of 2:21:39 is easily the fastest in the women's field - followed by Nastassia Ivanova from Belarus (2:27:44).
Kikuyo Tsuzaki of Japan and Ethiopian Tigist Teshome line up having run 2:31 and 2:29 respectively over the past 12 months.
"It has not been easy for me in the last one year with injuries bringing me down every time, I tried to get to the peak form. But it has been good in training in the last three months and I hope to win in Riga and hope to improve ahead of the 2019 World Championships," said Rono whole jetted out Friday night for Latvia.
The Kenyan is also a former Boston Marathon bronze medalist and boast of victories in Eindhoven and Hannover. More recently, she was third at the Dongying Marathon in 2017 clocking 2:28:52.
In Riga, she will face last year's runner-up Kikuyo Tsuzaki of Japan (2:31:32) and two-time Warsaw Marathon winner Nastassia Ivanova from Belarus.
Others in the mix include Ethiopian Tigist Teshome, who ran her lifetime best of 2:29:57 at the Castellon Marathon in February.
In the men's race, Kenya's hopes will rest on defending champion Kyengo Munywoki, who won in 2:12:14, and Silas Too, who clocked 2:08:26 in March.
Duncan Cheruiyot Koech of Kenya, who was third in last year's Hannover Marathon, and Poland's Artur Kozlowski, who has run 2:10:58, plus Kenya's Jacob Chesari, who has run 2:07:46, could also be worth watching out for.
They will be up against Lusapho April of South Africa, who has a best of 2:08:32. "Nobody expected me to win last year," said Munywoki.
"But I hope to remain strong and run tactically until the 40km then see how fast my sprint will carry me to the finishing line," he added.
Duncan Cheruiyot Koech has the credential to make an impact, bringing a 2:07:53 lifetime best to the start line.
The 36-year-old ran that six years ago but has recently threatened the 2:10 barrier with a third place finish at last month's Hannover Marathon where he clocked 2:10:19.
Others in the hunt include 2016 Warsaw Marathon winner Artur Kozlowski, who has a 2:10:58 personal best from Vienna in 2012 and Kenyan Jacob Chesari, who has a 2:07:46 best set in 2013.
The 34-year-old contested two marathons last year, in Mumbai and Lisbon, and finished runner-up at both.
