Kenya's Kenneth Keter and Ethiopia's Worknesh Degefa stand out as favourites in Saturday's Mattoni Olomouc Half Marathon in the Czech Republic.
The Kenyan has been on a strong course and has got everything to win the event, which is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, reports Xinhua news agency.
"It is not won until the last metre. I have done my part in training and hopefully, I will be able to do well against some strong global challenge," said Keter in Nairobi on Friday before jetting out.
Keter, 20, set his 59:48 career in 2016, and on Saturday will be targeting his first win over the distance this year after three performances in the 1:01:05 to 1:01:50 range in the first half of 2017.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Kenyan Simon Cheprot, with a 59:20 lifetime best from 2013 to his credit, will start as the fastest in the field.
He is dipped under the 60-minute barrier on two other occasions --59:32 and 59:39-- but both of those came in 2015. He will bring a more modest season's best of 1:02:10 to the line of this eastern Czech city on Saturday.
Veteran Felix Kandie could also be a factor as well. With two sub-2:06 marathons under his belt, the 30-year-old has stronger credentials over the longer distance, but a 1:00:04 half marathon best set last year shows he can be expected in the mix.
Notable too is that his 2:06:03 personal best in the marathon was set in March, illustrating that he's in the shape of his life.
Also among the strong Kenyan contingent are Peter Some, with 1:00:21 and 2:05:38 (both from 2013) personal bests, and Josphat Kiptis, who won this race in 2015 in 1:00:21, still the 23-year-old's career best.
Also expected in the mix is rising British star Callum Hawkins, who's twice come close to breaking 60 minutes this year.
In February, he clocked 1:00:00 to win in Marugame, Japan, and followed up with a 1:00:08 run in New York in March, finishing second.
--IANS
tri/dg
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
