NAIROBI, Nov. 2 -- Mathew Kisorio of Kenya spearheads a hunt for medals at the iconic Beijing Marathon on Sunday to end his trophy drought.
Kisorio, 30, was second at the Paris Marathon last year and is determined to win his first race of 2019.
He failed to finish in his only race of the year in Mexico City but is optimistic his leg injury woes are over as he heads to the Chinese capital.
"I have overcome my challenges with the injury and at one time, I was uncertain if I will be able to run again. My right foot was in pain and had to take it slowly. I was hopeful that in August when I run in Mexico I would have a good performance.
"I was disappointed not to finish the race, but I am a serious title contender in Beijing," said Kisorio.
Ethiopia's Mekuant Ayenew returns to the Chinese capital aiming to regain the title he took three years ago. The Beijing Marathon is an IAAF Gold Label road race.
Kisorio believes he holds the key to win the Beijing Marathon on his debut in China.
"I will be making a debut in China in marathon and hopeful to enjoy the run. I know Chinese fans love to cheer on runners and it will help inspire us," he added.
Kisorio improved his best time to 2:04:53 last year when he finished third in Valencia and clocked 2:06:36 to finish second at the Paris Marathon in April.
Mulu Seboka of Ethiopia is the fastest entrant in the women's field. The 35-year-old owns a PB of 2:21:56, set in Dubai in 2017, and has won three straight races in China since 2018 with two victories in Dalian and one in Shenzhen. She clocked 2:27:19 in May to retain her title in Dalian.