|
NAIROBI, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- World marathon record holder Dennis Kimetto of Kenya has shaken off his injury problems and is ready to go for the big title at the Boston marathon in April.
Speaking from Eldoret on Monday, Kimetto, who holds the world record at 2:02.57, the only man to have run the 42km distance under 2:03, said his title may not stand for long.
However, Kimatto said the prospect of an athlete to run the marathon in under two hours is not attainable now.
"I know there are efforts to have someone break the record and under two hours. It is not as easy as it sounds. It requires a lot of efforts and everything must be perfect. Hopefully the team from Nike will succeed but I know it is no easy task," he said.
Kimetto last competed for Kenya at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, China but failed to finish the race citing high temperatures. But he has seen his career stall with injuries creeping in for the last two years limiting his performances globally.
However, he said injury problems have been cleared and he will be keen to try and improve on his record as he goes to Boston. Kimetto holds the marathon record at 2.02.57 in Berlin 2014. He is also a winner of Tokyo, Chicago and Berlin marathons.
"My preparations so far are going on very well. Injury free and very motivated. Bring it on Boston Marathon," he said.
Ethiopia' s Kenenisa Bekele believes it will only be "two or three years" before the two hour-mark for the marathon is broken.
"I'm sure somewhere, within two or three years, the sub-two will be broken. I don' t know how, and maybe it won' t be official. It'll have to be very flat, maybe even downhill?" he said.
Nike announced that three of its athletes would seek to run a sub-two-hour marathon in April. Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge is training for the sub-two attempt. There is also Ethiopian Boston champion Lelisa Desisa and world half marathon world record-holder Zersenay Tadese. Enditem
