NAIROBI, May 4 (Xinhua) -- Twelve months after her convincing victory at the Prague Marathon, Bornes Jepkirui of Kenya vowed to defend her title in the Czech capital on Sunday.
Jepkirui, clocked a personal best time of 2:24:19 in Prague last year, winning by 54 seconds.
Earlier this year, she finished third in Osaka, Japan in 2:26:01, the second-fastest time of her career. But given the quality of this year's Prague marathon field, the Kenyan may not have it all her own way again.
"I will be under watch and that does not intimidate me whatsoever," said Jepkirui on Saturday.
"The purpose is to start strong and hold on to win the race. But I will run my own pace and see who will go past me."
Since winning the European 10,000m title last August, Israel's Lonah Chemtai Salpeter has shown fantastic form on the roads, winning over 10 miles in Zaandam and 10km in Rome, clocking a national marathon record of 2:24:17 to win in Florence, and more recently setting another national half marathon record to finish second in Prague in 1:06:09.
Lucy Cheruiyot finished two places behind Salpeter in Prague earlier this year, running 1:08:27.
Although the Kenyan is a regular in Czech half marathons, the 22-year-old will still be stepping into the unknown on Sunday as it will be the first marathon of her career.
"The race is open with top names keen to secure gold. I hope to get my chance and exploit it. If it will be hard on me, then it will be hard to everyone," said Cheruiyot.
Others are Amane Beriso (2:20:48), Mamitu Daska (2:21:59), a former New York marathon bronze medallist, Kellyn Taylor-Johnson (USA) and Getnet Yalew.
Mathew Kipkoech Kisorio, who recorded a lifetime best of 2:04:53 in Valencia last year starts as the fastest in the men's field, but he may still be feeling the effects of the Eldoret Marathon, which he won two weeks ago in 2:12:38.
He will be up against Al Mahjoub Dazza, who was behind him in Valencia in December, clocking a Moroccan record of 2:05:26.
Kisorio's brother, Peter Kimeli Some, is the third athlete in the field 2:05:39. Some clocked 2:05:38 to win the 2013 Paris Marathon and came just a minute short of that mark when finishing third in Daegu last year in 2:06:49.
There is Amos Kipruto and Solomon Kirwa Yego. Other strong Kenyans in the field include Paul Maina and 2009 world half marathon silver medallist Bernard Kiprop Kipyego.
Ethiopia's Aychew Bantie, the runner-up in Kosice last year in a PB of 2:08:15, will also be on the start line alongside Ukrainian Olympian Oleksandr Sitkovskyy and Spain's Hamid Ben Dauod.
