Elisha Rotich during his Paris win in 2021/ HANDOUTThe 2021 Paris Marathon champion Elisha Rotich will spearhead Kenya's charge on the newly redesigned Kobe Marathon course on Sunday, eyeing his first podium finish of the season.
Race organisers have tipped an electrifying showdown in the streets of Japan.
"The Kobe Marathon has been redesigned with a new high-speed course. We look forward to the heated battle to see who will be crowned the champion in the new course," race organisers said in a statement.
Rotich enters Sunday’s tussle off the back of a shaky build-up to his 2025 campaign.
He opened his season on January 17 with a disappointing 11th-place finish at the Doha Marathon, clocking 2:11:54.
Compatriot Ezra Tanui (2:07:28) claimed the title ahead of Ethiopia’s Balew Yihunle (2:07:36) and Mitku Tafa (2:07:40).
Three months later, on April 13, he lined up for the Paris Marathon hoping to rekindle his winning rhythm.
He, however, fell short in his quest, clocking 2:11:24 for 12th place.
Benard Biwott (2:05:25), Djibouti’s Ibrahim Hassan (2:06:13) and Sila Kiptoo (2:06:21) completed the podium in that race.
Despite his recent poor form, Rotich carries a rich résumé on the 42km battleground.
In 2021, he cut the tape in 2:04:21 to lift the Paris crown ahead of Ethiopian Hailemaryam Kiros (2:04:41) and compatriot Hillary Kipsambu (2:04:44).
His other victories over the classic distance include the 2018 Eindhoven win (2:07:32) and Chuncheon 2017 (2:08:58).
Rotich is a former Amsterdam Marathon third-place finisher from 2019 after clocking 2:05:18, as well as last year's Paris third-place finisher (2:06:54).
He is also a runner-up from the 2019 Seoul Marathon, where he stopped the clock in 2:06:12 behind compatriot Thomas Kiplagat (2:06:00).
However, standing in his way to victory are Ethiopia’s Abay Alemu, the 2024 Wuxi Marathon runner-up and Uganda’s Martin Musau, the 2021 Hamburg Marathon champion.
In the women’s race, the 2023 Seville Marathon champion, Jackline Chelal, will also be hunting her first podium of the year.
She will be joined by Deborah Samum, making her maiden debut over 42km.
Despite her inexperience in the marathon, Samum boasts deep accolades over the half marathon, including a runner-up finish at the 2019 Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon (1:12:10) and a third-place finish at the Billancourt race (1:09:55) that same year.
