Champs Kirui, Biwott return to action in Great Manchester run, face Britain's Farah

Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-17 17:01:19|Editor: Li Xia

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By John Kwoba

NAIROBI, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Former two-time world marathon champion Abel Kirui will be on a revenge mission against London Marathon bronze medalist Mo Farah when the two clash at the Great Manchester Run 10km on Sunday.

Kirui, who has had to settle for fourth place on the last two occasions, has raced in London before. In 2017, he was edged from the bronze medal position by compatriot Bedan Karoki, and this April he lost out in the battle of sprints to Farah.

Now the 34-year-old Kenyan feels his time has come to inflict some revenge on Farah when they clash at the Great Manchester Run on Sunday.

"Yes, I am going back to the United Kingdom for the Great Manchester, home of my favorite football club Manchester United. I will be running in the Great Manchester 10k on Sunday," said Kirui on Thursday in Nairobi.

Kirui, who is also the Chicago Marathon silver medallist, hopes to gauge his fitness in Manchester before focusing on the October marathon season.

"I want to run a fast time in Manchester and see how my body takes it. The focus is to be in the right shape for the Chicago marathon," he added.

But with Farah, the Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m champion, standing in his line, Kirui must produce his best game to contain the Briton at his home turf.

This will also be Farah's first race since finishing third in the London Marathon.

But the race will not be down to the two great runners alone.

Former New York Marathon winner Stanley Biwott from Kenya and Olympic marathon silver medallist Feyisa Lilesa from Ethiopia have also thrown their caps in the ring.

Biwott, 31, has a personal best time in marathon of 2:03:51 from London in 2016, which made him the sixth fastest marathon runner in history.

But he will be down to the 10km distance as he seeks to get over his failed attempt to win in London in April.

In London, Kirui (2:07.07) became only fifth man in history to run 14 times under the two hours and ten minutes for marathons in a career, joining Tsegaye Kebede (18), Emmanuel Mutai (14), Feyisa Lelisa (14) and Jaouad Gharib (14).