NAIROBI, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Despite his failure to finish the Berlin Marathon last month, Kenya's Wilson Kipsang has confirmed he will compete at the New York Marathon on Nov. 5.
Speaking from Iten on Wednesday, Kipsang said he is in good shape and relaxed ahead of the New York Marathon, where he will come up face to face with compatriots and world half marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor and Lucas Rotich.
"I am very happy to confirm I will be running the New York Marathon in a few weeks," said Kipsang.
At stake in New York will be the first finisher prize money worth 100,000 U.S. dollars with a time bonus of 25,000 dollars also up for grabs.
In Berlin last month, Kipsang who was gunning for the world record, failed and had to stop by the 30 kilometre. However, he has suddenly made a recovery and has his eyes set on conquering the New York Marathon course.
"My training was excellent before Berlin, but I had a bad day there," Kipsang said. "Now, I am very happy and thankful I was given a chance to use my training effort in New York, and will try to win there as I did three years ago."
Kipsang will join a previously announced professional athlete field that represents 29 different countries and now includes 12 past champions, 22 Olympians, and 20 Paralympians.
They will toe the line with defending champions Ghirmay Ghebreslassie of Eritrea while Mary Keitany of Kenya will lead the women's race.
"We are thrilled to welcome back Wilson to New York Marathon, where he has had great success before," said Peter Ciaccia, the race director in a statement.
Kipsang, 35, won the New York Marathon in 2014 in his debut, taking the tape in 2:10:59, just seven seconds ahead of Ethiopia's Lelisa Desisa.
This year, Kipsang has set a new course record of 2:03:58 at the Tokyo Marathon with his first-place finish in February.
Kipsang previously held the marathon world record of 2:03:23, which he ran at the 2013 Berlin Marathon, until compatriot Dennis Kimetto (2:02:57) broke it at the same event the following year. The 2012 London Olympic Marathon bronze medalist has run under 2:05 eight times, the most of any runner in history.
The New York Marathon is part of the World Marathon Majors, which is made up of the world's six largest and most renowned road races in Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York marathons.
The current series also includes the IAAF World Championship Marathon. Points are allocated to the top five finishers in each race.
