NAIROBI, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Gilbert Kipruto Kirwa returns to Italy hopeful to improve on his third place finish and clinch gold at Florence Marathon on Sunday.
The 25-year-old has not raced since he clinched the bronze medal in Florence last year after he sustained an ankle injury.
However, he returns feeling strong as he intends to recoup the missed opportunities hoping he will prove his mantle and secure a slot in the Kenya team to the World Championships next year in Qatar.
"I have recovered and ready for the assault of the Florence course," Kirwa said on Thursday before departing to Italy.
"It is about preparations and I have done my part and though there are some top names lined up, I believe the training has been good to withstand any challenge." Kirwa was the third-place finisher in the men's race last year.
The Kenyan clocked his personal best of 2:06:14 in Frankfurt back in 2009 but ran 2:07:44 as recently as 2015 in finishing fifth at the Paris marathon. Later he was second at the Toronto Waterfall marathon in Canada clocking 2:09:01.
But that will come under focus when he lines up at the Florence marathon course on Sunday.
Kirwa will be up against China's Xiamen marathon champion Dejene Debela and Bonsa Dida from Ethiopia.
After setting a personal best time of 2:07:10 in Eindhoven in 2017, Debela has won two marathons in China this year, clocking 2:11:22 in Xiamen and 2:12:08 in Beijing.
"I hope to run well in Florence and see if I can defend my title in Xiamen next year. I believe I will have recovered, but it will be dependent on the performance in Italy," he said.
Dida also set his personal best time last year, running 2:10:16 when winning in Madrid, and he finished second in Hong Kong in January earlier this year in 2:13:44.
Ahmed Nasef, who won the Italian marathon title in 2016 and 2017, is also in the field, while Kenya's Abraham Kiplagat and Bahrain's 2016 Asian U20 cross-country champion Abdi Ali Gelelchu will be making their marathon debuts.
"I have no idea what to expect. I have been training hard but this is a new step up for me and I want to feel the marathon and see how the body will respond. Then I will know where I need to improve and what else is required," said Kiplagat.
Israel's European 10,000m champion Lonah Chemtai Salpeter will be in the spotlight when she runs in Florence against former compatriot Kenya's Caroline Jepchirchir Chepkwony.
Chemtai Salpeter ditched her Kenyan passport in 2016 when she got married in Israel and will be up to challenge for the title.
However, Chepkwony, who set her marathon best of 2:27:37 in Lubljana in 2013 and Ethiopia's Ayele Gebaynesh, who has a career best of 2:26:54 and Sarah Jebet (2:27:07) will be the athletes to beat.
Chemtai Salpeter is aiming at improving the course record of 2:28:15 set in 2002 by Helena Javornik.
She could even challenge the European-leading time of 2:25:25 set by European champion Volha Mazuronak.
