Nearly man Kwambai is back

• Distance running’s unsung hero seeks to cut out a niche for himself in New York

Kwambai, Lel and Cheruiyot – who train in Eldoret and Italy - are all under Italian coach Claudio Berardelli.

And, interestingly, the trio will line up against each other at the Big Apple.

Kwambai relishes the prospects. “I finished fifth in my last race there (New York) despite rebounding from a hamstring injury. I had not learned the New York course and had not competed with most marathon world beaters.

“Last year, I had not studied Cheruiyot as we had not trained together. But we have trained together since and I have picked up some of his running skills,” says Kwambai   

Kwambai says he gave last year’s Berlin World Championships a wide berth as he had no time to recover ahead of New York Marathon, where he had been drafted.

Now healthy and in top form, he is ready to challenge the world’s marathon kings Cheruiyot and Lel.

“The other time I was still young and now I am experienced. I want to realize my dream by posting better performance in New York,” he says.