Assured Saina relishing fight in Frankfurt

Paris Marathon champion Betsy Saina is looking forward to adding another feather to her cap when she lines up for the Frankfurt Marathon on Sunday.

Saina, who has been training in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County, said that she was in great shape and would be eyeing a position on the podium.

“I have been preparing for the last four months and though I know it will be tough, my target is to challenge for a top-three position,” said Saina.

She is relishing the chance to compete against some of the world’s best marathoners.

“Paris was my first marathon victory and I know many are expecting me to do well in the (Sunday’s) race,” said the athlete.

Saina clinched the Paris victory in April by clocking a personal best of 2:22:56 beating her compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich, who clocked 2:23:00, and Ethiopia’s Chala Gulume who sealed the podium in 2:23:06.

The Iten-based athlete said that she had been keen to learn from her compatriots and champions like former two-time world champion Edna Kiplagat and former New York Marathon champion Mary Keitany.

“I used to train in the US but I realised I was missing a lot and I had to change my training base and follow the footsteps of my mentors Mary Keitany and Edna Kiplagat,” added the athlete.

Saina started her season with victory at the Muragame Half Marathon in Japan where she clocked a personal best of 1:09:17 in February before emerging seventh in the New York City Half Marathon.

In Frankfurt on Sunday, she will team up against Valentine Kipketer, Nancy Kiprop, Janet Rono and Sylvia Medugu.

The Kenyan athletes will face stiff competition from Ethiopians among them former world marathon champion Mare Dibaba who has a personal best of 2:19:52.