•Two-time Olympic Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopian great Kenenisa Bekele are front runners.
•The duo have won numerous championships and major marathons while Munyao only has last month's London Marathon title to boast of.
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Image: HANDOUT
London Marathon champion Alexander Munyao says he will exploit his underdog status in the hunt for the men’s marathon title at the Paris Olympic Games.
Two-time Olympic Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopian great Kenenisa Bekele are front runners.
The duo have won numerous championships and major marathons while Munyao only has last month's London Marathon title to boast of.
Tokyo Marathon champion Benson Kipruto will be the other Kenyan athlete in the race. But undaunted by the challenge, Munyao is determined to pull off a surprise in the French capital.
“I’m targeting nothing less than gold in Paris. I know Kipchoge will be chasing his third Olympic title and Kipruto is an equally serious contender but I’m ready for the challenge,” Munyao stated.
The London Marathon champion envisions a Kenyan sweep on the podium and expects the trio to push each other to victory.
“A Kenya 1-2-3 finish is very possible. We’ll be pushing each other hard, and I believe Kenya will dominate in Paris,” he added.
Beyond winning gold, Munyao is keen to lower his personal best (PB). “I aim to reduce my PB to 2:01 or 2:02,” he added.
The 27-year-old boasts a PB of 2:03:11 set in December 2023 during the Valencia Marathon, where he placed second.
Last week, the Ethiopian Athletics Federation announced its three male representatives for Paris, headlined by three-time Olympic track champion Bekele. He will team up with Valencia Marathon champion Sisay Lemma and Beijing Marathon champion Deresa Geleta.
Despite acknowledging the strength of the Ethiopian team, Munyao views his Kenyan compatriots as his main rivals.
“Ethiopia have a strong team no doubt but I don't see them posing any threat to us. I have run with Bekele and Lemma before and I know their techniques. However, I haven't run with Kipchoge or Kipruto before and that makes them more competitive unlike the Ethiopians,” he noted.
During his triumph in London last month, Munyao beat Bekele to the title, clocking 2:04:01 with Bekele, who was the pre-race favourite, settling for second place in 2:04:15.
At the 2023 Prague Marathon, Munyao clinched the title in 2:05:09, beating Lemma to second place in 2:06:51. Looking ahead to Paris, Munyao plans to stay with the leading pack and make his decisive move close to the finish.
“My strategy will be simple! I have to stay with the leading pack and make my move a few kilometres to the finish as was the case in London,” Munyao noted.
However, Munyao tempered expectations for a new world record in Paris, citing the challenging nature of the course.
“I have not run the Paris course before but from what I have heard from athletes, it is a tough course. Breaking a world record there will not be easy. What will be important for us athletes is a medal,” he added.
Munyao resumed full training last week at Ngong Hills under the guidance of his coach Peter Muteti, running 30km daily.
“I resumed full training for the Olympics last week at Ngong Hills. I do 30km daily runs, 20km in the morning with light 10km runs in the evening,” he added.