KAMPALA, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Four foreign athletes have confirmed participation in the competitive and charity races of the MTN Kampala International Marathon slated for December 9.

    Karuri Gitanga and Joseph Reko from Kenya will compete in the 42km full marathon that was previously dominated by their countrymen.

    Tanzania has sent Flora Kasali and Rebecca Kajina, who are set to give Uganda's defending champion Jane Suuto a bloody nose in the women's 42km event.

    Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) two weeks ago sent invitations to Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Kenya and Tanzania but the other countries are yet to confirm.

    The UAF will cater for the transport and upkeep of all invited athletes but many individual runners are expected to come from the East Africa region.

    In a related development, World University Games 10,000m silver medalist Simon Ayeko has also entered the 10km race of the Marathon.

    The France-based Ugandan distance runner, who had on two occasions failed to win the MTN Marathon, is confident that he could win the race this time.

    "I am coming for the MTN Marathon and I think I have a chance of winning the 10km. The training here has been so great and guys down there should expect fireworks come December," said Ayeko.

    Meanwhile, All Africa Games 5,000m gold medalist Moses Kipsiro has become the highest profile Ugandan athlete to take part in the annual competition. He will run in the 10km competition.

    The event, which marks the end of the local athletics calendar, has always been held in November. UAF postponed the event by three weeks to give way to the ongoing Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November.

    A record 6,015 runners have registered for the event. The figure, 2,000 more than last year's edition, have helped raising over 30 million Ugandan shillings (18,000 U.S. dollars) to help expectant mothers living in Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP) camps in war-ravaged northern Uganda.

    Kenyan Isaiah Kosgei won last year's full marathon in a new course record of 2 hours 18 minutes and 8 seconds ahead of Ugandan Amos Masai.