By John Kwoba
NAIROBI, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan Lani Rutto may be the fastest man in the Fukuoka marathon elite runners' list, but he is not the favorite to win the race on Dec 3.
Rutto, whose 2:06:34 marks him as one of the field's fastest, faces his biggest challenger being himself, as he seeks to prove his critics wrong.
Injury and loss of form have left his performance in tatters and he has not come close to that 2015 effort from Frankfurt.
The 28-year-old didn't finish May's Prague Marathon, his only attempt at the distance this year. But he remains optimistic he will be up for the test when he lines up in Japanese harbor city marathon in a week's time.
"I have gone through a tough season and I am trying to regain my footing. This race in Fukuoka is critical to me mentally and even physically. I need to get my confidence back and this is my chance," he said on Wednesday.
With the Commonwealth Games coming off in April, Rutto is optimistic a good show in Fukuoka may just inspire the coaches to look his way and name him in the Kenya team.
"I have not represented the country at the international level and there is always a chance it may be next year. I want to win in Fukuoka to increase my chances," he said.
But to do that, he will have to get past some of the toughest and strongest athletes in the line-up.
The field also includes Amanuel Mesel of Eritrea, who has a personal best of 2:08:17 from 2013, and Sondre Moen, the Norwegian record holder at 2:10:07.
Daichi Kamino, a 1:01:04 half marathoner who excelled at the Hakone Ekiden earlier this year, will be making his eagerly anticipated debut.
But the real test will be on Ugandan Stephen Kiprotich, the 2012 Olympic and 2013 world champion, who will take on in-form Bidan Karoki of Kenya, the London marathon bronze medalist, and defending champion Yemane Tsegaye of Ethiopia.
"They are some of the best athletes. But I have to be confident that my body can weather the storm and take the challenge to them. Marathon is tricky and can go anyway," said Rutto.
Kiprotich pulled out of two marathons this year to focus on regaining his form and he is going to Fukuoka aiming to prepare for the Tokyo marathon and the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.
"It will be a tough challenge running against last year's winner Tsegay Yemane from Ethiopia and other runners from Eritrea and Kenya," the Olympic star said from Kaptagat's training ground. Enditem
