Bangalore, May 24 (IANS) Kenyan Dennis Kimetto, who recently set a World record for 25 Km run, hopes to live up to his star billing as he heads a classy field in the TCS World 10K Bangalore to be run here Sunday.
“I am well prepared for this race and fear no one in the field,” said a confident Kimetto here Thursday when the elite athletes were presented to the Media.
Kimetto, who began training at the age of 24, has in a short span, made a huge impact on the international running scene. He has only raced outside Kenya on three occasions and has won in all three beating many World class athletes.
According to Ian Ladbrooke, the consultant for the elite athletes, the men’s field assembled to run on Sunday was the strongest in the five-year history of the event and he was hoping for a fast race that would lower the existing course record of 27 minutes, 51 seconds, in the name of Eritrean Zersenay Tadese, set in 2008.
Ladbrooke’s confidence stems from Kimetto’s aggressive attitude as the Kenyan hoped to deliver a sub-27 minute run on Sunday.
Along with Kimetto at the media interaction was another young and exciting Kenyan, Geoffrey Kipsang, who has a personal best of 27:53 for the 10km outdoors, set in March 2012.
Kipsang, who ran in the Delhi Half Marathon in 2011 and finished a close second, also said he
was confident of lowering the existing course record.
“It all depends on the field of athletes and this time around the field is definitely very strong. My plan will be to run the race from the front fight from the start and hope for the best,” said Kipsang, the former World Junior cross country champion.
Besides, these two Kenyans, the men’s filed will include the likes of Ethiopians Detiba Merga and Dino Sefir, Ugandan Moses Kipsiro, Kenyans Leonard Langat and John Kyui ans Moroccan Abdellah Falil.
Also present were the two Kenyan women runners who were expected to make a mark on Sunday, Grace Momanyi and Doris Changeywo.
Grace Momanyi, winner here in 2008 after a historic dead heat with Ethiopian Elvan Abeylegessie, has a best of 31:24 in the 10km. Her recent win came in the half marathon in Lisboa and she hopes to run a fast race on Sunday.
