NAIROBI, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Former Nagano Marathon winners Beatrice Toroitich and Pauline Wangui will have the best foot forward as they seek to reclaim the gold medal in this year's race on Sunday.
Toroitich won in Nagano in 2015 in 2:34:02, having finished second in 2013. The 36-year-old Kenyan set her personal best (PB) of 2:27:41 at the 2012 Hamburg Marathon, while her most recent effort over 26.2 miles was a 2:32:25 run in Prague last year.
Compatriot Wangui was the 2012 Nagano winner. The 33-year-old, who represented Kenya at the 2008 World Half Marathon Championships, set a marathon best time of 2:30:49 in Seville last year.
"It is good to return to Nagano for the marathon. This is one of the long steps I must take as I eye a chance to be called to the national team for next year's World Championship in Qatar," said Toroitich.
However, the Kenyan duo will face stiff opposition from an Ethiopian who is making her Nagano Marathon debut. Tigist Girma has reached the podium in six of her seven marathons to date.
The 24-year-old won in Beirut in 2016 and returned to the Lebanese capital last year, clocking a best time of 2:29:05 to finish second.
The Nagano Marathon has not had a Japanese winner of the women's race since 2001, but there are several women entered for this year's edition who appear capable of challenging for victory.
Aki Otagiri was the top Japanese finisher in 2017, placing fourth. Her time of 2:30:24, set at the 2015 Nagoya Marathon, also makes her the fastest of the domestic entrants.
Others are Asami Furuse (2:30:44), Saki Tokoro (2:33:41) and Yumiko Kinoshita (2:34:38).
In the men's race Ethiopia's Abdela Gobena, who set his best time of 2:09:45 just five months ago when finishing fourth at the Seoul Marathon will be the lead athlete.
However, he will face a strong opposition from Kenyan Julius Keter, who is making his debut in Japan.
Keter, who has not raced for over a year, is keen to secure another victory to his name after claiming wins in Santiago, Chile in April last year. He also won in races staged in the United States, Mexico and South America.
There will also be Ugandan Olympian Jackson Kiprop (2:09:32), Shoya Osaki (2:11:03), Shinichi Yamashita and Kohei Futaoka.
The race dates back to 1999 and commemorates the 1998 Winter Olympic Games, held in Nagano. Enditem