By Ben Ochieng
NAIROBI, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- A former Kenyan star runner has predicted that the pace of the marathon race is more likely to increase with the entry into the event of countryman Geoffrey Kamworor.
Barnaba Korir said Thursday with the entry of Kenyan runners Geoffrey Kamworor, Bedan Karoki and Britain's Mo Farah the pace of the marathon race will experience an upsurge.
"Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge and multi-record holder Kenenisa Bekele changed gears in the marathon world and are now being joined by fresh legs," the former international runner told Xinhua in Nairobi.
Korir said the combination of Kamworor, Kipchoge, Mo Farah and Bekele is set to reduce marathon to a long sprint.
"Kamworor's victory in New York two weeks ago where he floored former world marathon record holder, Wilson Kipsang, was just a sign of big things to come," Korir said.
The 25-year old Kamworor is a two-time world cross country champion; two time world half-marathon champion; and former world 10,000m silver medalist, making him a master of all surfaces - grass, tartan track and road.
"He is already talking about winning his third half marathon next year in Valencia and I will not be surprised if he starts talking about a world marathon record after that," Korir noted.
Karoki will be running his second marathon in Fukuoka next month after he paced fourth in London last year.
Kamworor made his marathon debut at the 2012 Berlin Marathon where he finished third before heading to the 2015 New York Marathon where he placed second, despite still being very active on track.
Korir said a potential duel between Kamworor and the irresistible Kipchoge might see the elusive world record broken.
