Hillary Kipsambu and eyes Paris Marathon title on Sunday

Kenya’s Hillary Kipsambu will lead a competitive field at the 46^th edition of Paris Marathon which will be held Sunday in the French capital.

The Kenyan, who turned 37 in February, is expected to pose a threat to rivals especially after clocking 2:04.04 at the race’s previous edition and in the process setting his personal best.

He finished third in the race and will be among six men who have run below 2:05 and are tipped to improve Elisha Rotich’s course record 2:04.21 set in 2021.

Ethiopia’s Asefa Mengstu is the fastest man in the field courtesy of his 2:04:06 clocked in Dubai three years ago, but his compatriot Seifu Tura would look to be the favourite, having recently shown his good shape.

The winner of the 2021 Chicago Marathon ran a half marathon personal best of 58:36 in February.

Kenya’s Judith Jeptum will be hoping to upstage her rivals and clinch the race, bouyed by her 2:22.30 which places her third on the elite women’s list with fastest times this season.

Namibia’s Helalia Johannes who holds a PB of 2:19:52 set in 2020 is also a contender as well as Ethiopia’s Besu Sado and her compatriots Tigist Abayechew and Beyenu Degefa.

Abayechew has run 2:22:45 at her best, while her compatriot finshed third in Valencia in December in 2:23:04.