Kenya’s Evans Kiptum Keitany will have a difficult time as he tries to defend his title at the third edition of the Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon slated for this Sunday (21) at the Japan National Stadium in Japan.
The 24 year-old will face the 2016 World Half Marathon silver medallist, Bedan Karoki who comes to this race with the fastest time on paper of 58:42 that he set six years ago in Dubai.
Keitany who holds a life time best of 1:01.10 that he got last year will also battle last year’s runner-up Benard Kimeli who holds the second fastest time on paper of 59:07.
Two more Kenyan athletes; Cleophas Kandie and Andrew Lorot will be also on the start line as they come with their life time best of 59:18 and 59:54 respectively.
It will be also exciting to see how 19-year-old Dennis Kipkurui will make his debut over the distance, though he holds a personal best in the 10000m of 27:45.16 that he got this year.
Japan will have their hopes on Tomoki Ota, who represented Japan in the 10,000m at the 2024 Paris Olympics and Yusuke Nishiyama, who represented Japan in the marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon.
The two will be hoping to run under 60-minute range.