Relaxed Mary Keitany ready to defend her NYC title

After a season of mixed luck, defending champions Mary Keitany and Stanley Biwott will be looking forward to ending the year on a high by retaining their titles in Sunday’s New York Marathon.

Keitany, who spoke to Daily Nation Sport before leaving for the Big Apple on Tuesday evening, said that she was ready to defend her title and was happy with her training programme in Iten.

“My training has been good so far, and I thank God for giving me the energy and making me injury free. I want to defend my title this year and I’m very much ready,” said Keitany.

The Iten-based athlete added that she knows competition will be stiff but has done her part in training and will expect to run a good race.

Bank of Africa will set up a “viewerthon” party at Iten’s Keellu Resort where athletes and fans will be advised on banking, investment and taxation in a session sponsored by the bank, the Elgeyo Marakwet County Government through Governor Alex Tolgos and supported by the Kenya Revenue Authority.

“I know there will be stiff competition especially from the Ethiopian athletes but I have done my part by training well and I will run my race. I don’t fear Aselefech Mergia since we have been running with her many races and we are also under one management,” said Keitany, a former world half marathon record holder.

Mergia has, incidentally, had several training stints in Iten.

Keitany and Mergia are both managed by Italian agent Gianni Demadonna. Keitany boasts a marathon personal best of two hours, 18 minutes and 37 second which she recorded in 2012 at the London Marathon.

She has won the New York Marathon two times in 2014 and 2015. Keitany will be up against 2015 Amsterdam Marathon winner Joyce Chepkirui, 2015 Berlin Marathon winner Gladys Cherono and US-based Sally Kipyego, who is also former 10,000 World and Olympics silver medalist and will be making her marathon debut.

“I have done enough training and my body was responding well this time round. I expect to perform well and get a place in the podium,” said Chepkirui in Eldoret before flying out to New York City on Tuesday.

“I fear no one and I will be focusing on a podium finish. We will run as a team from Kenya and we expect to bring home the medals."
In the men’s category, Biwott will be teaming up with Lake Biwa Marathon winner Lucas Rotich and stiff competition is expected from Lelisa Desisa from Ethiopia, who was a runner-up in 2014 New York Marathon and third in 2015, and Ghirmay Ghebreslassie from Eritrea