Kenyan, Ethiopian athletes favourites in Olomouc Half Marathon

Nairobi June 23 (IANS) Kenya s Kenneth Keter and Ethiopia s Worknesh Degefa stand out as favourites in Saturday s Mattoni Olomouc Half Marathon in the Czech Republic.

The Kenyan has been on a strong course and has got everything to win the event which is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race reports Xinhua news agency.

It is not won until the last metre. I have done my part in training and hopefully I will be able to do well against some strong global challenge said Keter in Nairobi on Friday before jetting out.

Keter 20 set his 59:48 career in 2016 and on Saturday will be targeting his first win over the distance this year after three performances in the 1:01:05 to 1:01:50 range in the first half of 2017.

Meanwhile 23-year-old Kenyan Simon Cheprot with a 59:20 lifetime best from 2013 to his credit will start as the fastest in the field.

He is dipped under the 60-minute barrier on two other occasions --59:32 and 59:39-- but both of those came in 2015. He will bring a more modest season s best of 1:02:10 to the line of this eastern Czech city on Saturday.

Veteran Felix Kandie could also be a factor as well. With two sub-2:06 marathons under his belt the 30-year-old has stronger credentials over the longer distance but a 1:00:04 half marathon best set last year shows he can be expected in the mix.

Notable too is that his 2:06:03 personal best in the marathon was set in March illustrating that he s in the shape of his life.

Also among the strong Kenyan contingent are Peter Some with 1:00:21 and 2:05:38 (both from 2013) personal bests and Josphat Kiptis who won this race in 2015 in 1:00:21 still the 23-year-old s career best.

Also expected in the mix is rising British star Callum Hawkins who s twice come close to breaking 60 minutes this year.

In February he clocked 1:00:00 to win in Marugame Japan and followed up with a 1:00:08 run in New York in March finishing second.

--IANS
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