NAIROBI, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Rael Kiyara, a past winner of the Chongqing, Lanzhou and Shanghai marathons, will return to China on Sunday eyeing another win at the Kunming International Marathon in China's southern province of Yunnan.
Kiyara, who holds a lifetime best of 2:25:23, has not won any race in 2019 after struggling with a knee injury.
However, she has returned to training of late and believes she is strong enough to challenge for the gold in the Chinese southern province city.
"I have done well so far in training getting through without an injury recurring. It is always frustrating to sit at home and watch other athletes go to train because you are not fit or carrying an injury. I am back to my best and in Kunming, it will be another battle to prove my fitness," said Kiyara.
The 35-year-old will be Kenya's top entrant in the race, which also has another compatriot in Marius Kimutai, a 2:05:47 performer, who has been enjoying better form in 2019.
Kimutai, who has since ditched Kenyan passport for Bahrain, will be running his fourth race of the year and the 26-year-old has already collected two victories in Taiyuan and Hangzhou plus a fourth-place finish in Chongqing.
"I have had a good season and the end will certainly be better," said Kimutai in Nairobi. "Despite me running for Bahrain, I do all my training here in Eldoret and this is because we have the best weather and a training camp here."
"Now, I want to believe I have done enough in training will want to win the fourth race of the season and rest to wait for the Olympics in 2020 in Tokyo," he added.
Other athletes who have posted faster time below 2:10 toeing the line include Ethiopia's Dereje Debele, with a best time of 2:07:48 which was recorded six years ago in Dusseldorf, Mathew Kipsaat of Kenya, winner of this year's New Taipei City Marathon (2:09:19) and fellow Kenyan Evans Sambu, who achieved a personal best of 2:09:05 in Gongju in 2017.
The women's course record of 2:33:53 set by Kenya's 2016 winner Rodah Chepkorir also looks vulnerable since 10 runners in the field have run faster than 2:30 and half of them have broken 2:33 this year.
Ethiopia's Mulu Seboka, who boasts a best time of 2:21:56, has vast experience of racing in China, having earned titles in Dalian and Shenzhen.
As the fastest woman on paper, the 35-year-old registered two sub-2:30 results this season, retaining her Dalian title in 2:27:19 and clocking 2:29:09 to finish third in Beijing last month.
Fellow Ethiopian Letebrhan Haylay is another woman to watch in Kunming. Since her marathon debut in 2015, Haylay has produced six sub-2:30 marks from her 10 outings.
The 29-year-old hasn't competed in any races since setting a best time of 2:24:47 in Dongying last May, so her competitiveness is unknown.
Other title contenders include Ethiopia's Nurit Shimels, who trimmed more than a minute off her personal best with 2:27:40 two months ago in Cape Town.
