• Kipruto faces tough competition from Philemon Rono.
•Magdalene Masai will headline the womens category.
Benson Kipruto will defend his Toronto Waterfront marathon title slated for October 20.
"If I can defend my Toronto [Waterfront] Marathon title it will be very good for me and for my marathon career,” Kipruto says with a smile.
He remembers well the joy his 2:07:24 performance brought him and the festivities which followed upon his return to Kenya.
This year I would like to run my personal best in Toronto. Hopefully, if the weather will be good and also if the pacemakers do a good job, I am hoping to run maybe 2:06 and maybe try to run a course record."
Kipruto’s best is 2:07:11 set in finishing third at the 2018 Seoul Marathon and he also ran 2:07:21 at the2017 Gongju Dong a Marathon in Korea. With three recent 2:07 results, he is clearly on the verge of another major breakthrough which could see him tackle the current Toronto course record held by his compatriot Philemon Rono (2:06:52 in 2017).
“I would say it opened doors to my future,” Kipruto explains. “I was invited to the 2019 Boston Marathon because of Toronto. So my name has grown. (Toronto) was my first victory.
“Boston was a good performance for me; I managed to finish, first of all. I was injured during the race.”
Kipruto’s feet were badly blistered during the race. But his coach Claudio Berardelli offers another explanation saying that he pushed Kipruto perhaps too much over the final three weeks of his preparation and so he was also overtrained. Ultimately, he finished a respectable 10th in 2:09:53 within two minutes of the winner Lawrence Cherono, also from Kenya
Kipruto will be up against Philemon Rono in the race
In the women's category, Magdalene Masai will be up against Ethiopian duo of Belaynesh Oljira and Bruktayit Eshetu.
The hosts will be represented by Reid Coolsaet, Dylan Wykes and Cam Levins and Rory Linkletter and Evan Esselink. Josh Griffiths of Great Britain is also one to look out for in the event.