Ex-champion Korir leads Kenyan charge at New York Marathon

Abbott will return as the title partner of the curtain-raiser which features a $79,500 (Sh12 million) prize purse – the largest of any 5km race in the world. 

Following in the footsteps of the professional athletes, nearly 10,000 runners will participate in the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5km race.

This will pave way for the New York Marathon on Sunday.

The route – that snakes around New York’s five boroughs - begins near the Verrazano Bridge on Staten Island, then goes north through Brooklyn and Queens before the athletes’ head west across the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan and north into the Bronx before heading back to Manhattan where the finish line is near the West 60s in Central Park.

Kenya will be represented by two men: 2021 champion Albert Korir and debutant Edward Cheserek.

Defending champion Evans Chebet and three-time World Half Marathon Championships gold medalist Geoffrey Kamworor pulled out of the race after picking up injuries. 

Last year, Chebet bagged victory in two hours, eight minutes and 41 seconds, finishing ahead of other podium finishers, Ethiopia’s Shura Kitata (2:08:54) and Dutchman Abdi Nageeye (2:10:31). 

The self-coached Korir, who trains in Kapkitony in Elgeyo Marakwet County in a group of about 40 athletes, says that he is now focused and ready to run a good race on Sunday after training well back at home.

He believes he is ready despite stiff competition from neighbours Ethiopia represented by Olympic bronze medalist Tamirat Tola and Amedework Walelegn.

In an interview with Nation Sport, Korir – who runs under the Volare Sport stable - said despite competing with his compatriot Cheserek as the only Kenyans, he believes that he will be able to do well as he sets his eyes on another podium finish.

“I’m going back to the New York Marathon for the fourth time and having mastered the course, I believe it will be a good one. 

“I normally train in hilly terrain and this can be compared to the course I’m tackling on Sunday and so I’m not afraid at all,” said Korir who has a personal best time of 2:08:01. 

Done homework

He added that last year, he performed dismally finishing seventh, due to the high temperatures witnessed during the race that affected him.

“I prefer running in low temperatures and I have already done my homework and I can see that on Sunday it will be cold. 

“Last year I didn’t get to the podium because the heat was too much but I managed to finish the race,” he added.

He also believes that he will be able to team up well with Cheserek, who is debuting and has been preparing at Kaptagat, Elgeyo Marakwet County, before everyone goes for the finish point depending on the energy one has in the final kilometres. 

“The marathon is a tough affair and despite having done enough training ahead of the race, you have to run a calculative race. Teamwork has to work in the initial stages but after the 33-kilometre mark in many races, you will see athletes breaking and it depends on the endurance that one has,” he said. 

In the women’s category, Kenya will be represented by Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir (who has a personal best time of 2:17:16), Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri (2:21:38), defending champion Sharon Lokedi (2:23:23) and former world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei (2:14:04).

Also in the list is two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat (2:19:50), also a previous winner in New York, Mary Ngugi (2:20:22) and Viola Cheptoo (2:22:44), second in the 2021 race.

Albert Korir bio

• Name: Albert Korir
• Date of Birth: March 2, 1994 
• Residence: Kapkitony 

Fact box 

• At the 2021 TCS New York City Marathon, Albert Korir took the tape in the men’s open division in two hours, eight minutes and 22 seconds, going one better and 14 seconds faster than his runner-up performance in 2019 to win his first Abbott World Marathon Majors race. 
• In the process, he also secured the Abbott World Marathon Majors Series title for that year. 
• He returned in 2022 to finish seventh in New York. 
• This year, Korir bettered his personal best, finishing in 2:08:01 to take fourth place at the Boston Marathon. 
• In 2019 Korir won both the Houston and Ottawa marathons, racing to what was then a personal-best 2:08:03 in the latter. 
• In 2017, Korir won his first marathon, taking the Vienna City Marathon in 2:08:40 in chilly and windy conditions to lead a Kenyan sweep. 
• Korir is the father of a young son, Alan.