Hardly a month after finishing third at the Istanbul Half Marathon, Emmanuel Bor is confident of posting good results at the 4th edition of Eldoret City Marathon this Sunday in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
Bor finished third in Instanbul in 60:20 behind winner Rodgers Kwemoi (59:15) and Daniel Mateiko (60:05).
In an interview, Bor said he wants to improve on his last year's third position at the annual race on Sunday.
“I ran well last year but I want to improve on my position and finish on the podium just like last year. Even winning will be a great joy for me but I know it won’t be a walk in the park considering the calibre of athletes the race attracts,” said Bor.
He said though he has not recovered well after racing in both Instanbul (March 27) and Adana International Liberation Half Marathon in Turkey (January 9), he is determined to leave a mark in the Eldoret race.
“The race has come earlier than I expected because I have not recovered very well after Istanbul as well as Adana races. However, I am optimistic that I will not disappoint after undergoing tough preparations. You know half marathons are always good build-up for a full marathon and I am hopeful,” added Bor.
He said he expects athletes who have not had a race this year and upstarts to call the shots during the Eldoret race thus making it very competitive.
“This race has always attracted elite and untested runners and we should brace up for a long day on Sunday.
“We expect athletes who have not raced this year to have the energy to tackle the race and there are also upstarts who will be seeking to catch the eyes of various foreign managers. So it won’t be easy,” said Bor.
Elsewhere, race director Moses Tanui yesterday revealed that a good number of foreign athletes have enrolled for the marathon.
“This is a great addition to the race and we are looking forward to a successful event,” said Tanui, a two-time Boston Marathon champion.
