NAIROBI, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Peter Kimeli Some will face an acid test against Edwin Kimaiyo ahead of the Shenzhen Marathon in the southeastern China city on Sunday.
Some, who is the Daegu Marathon silver medallist will also line up against strong opponents at the IAAF Bronze Label road. However, the two are the fastest and most experienced runners on the entry list.
"I have represented Kenya in the cross country and track competition, but never in the marathon. This race offers me a chance to prove that I can break that jinx and make it to the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia in April," Some said on Saturday.
It has been four years since Some set his best time of 2:05:38 to win at the 2013 Paris Marathon. Although that remains his only sub-2:07:00 time to date, the 27-year-old Kenyan is still competitive and finished second at the Daegu Marathon in April in 2:09:22.
Based on this year's performances, compatriot Edwin Kimaiyo is slightly quicker than Some, but his best time of 2:09:12 was set just one month ago in Shanghai so he may not be running on fresh legs in Shenzhen.
This is Kimaiyo's eighth season as a marathon runner, but he is yet to win a race over the classic distance.
Ethiopia's Samuel Demie clocked 2:09:44 in Rabat back in March. The 31-year-old has made it on to the podium in six of his eight career marathons.
Tewelde Estifanos is another experienced performer. He represented Eritrea in the marathon at last year's Olympic Games and finished ninth at the 2012 World Half Marathon Championships.
He set his personal best time of 2:09:16 in 2015, the same year in which he won the Beppu-Oita Marathon, and has a best this year of 2:13:38.
Seboka might not be in the kind of form that took her to a 2:21:56 PB in Dubai in 2015, but the former Jakarta, Dubai, Daegu and Toronto marathon winner has run two sub-2:30:00 marathons this season.
The 33-year-old clocked 2:29:17 to finish seventh in Prague in May and 2:29:55 to finish fourth in Istanbul last month.
Fellow Ethiopian Aberash Fayesa Robi is the fastest of the women's field based on 2017 times. The 22-year-old clocked a best time of 2:27:04 to finish third in Barcelona in March, while more recently she ran a half marathon in 1:11:35 in October.
Others are Kyrgyzstan's Daria Maslova, who won the 5000m and 10,000m at this year's Asian Championships and compatriot Viktoria Poliudina.
There is also China's He Yinli, who will be contesting her third marathon within three months, and Kenya's Mirriam Wangari.
