Kenyan marathon runner Dennis Kimetto (© Getty Images)
Marathon world record holder Dennis Kimetto will be looking to resurrect his reputation at the Media Maratón de Bogota, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, on Sunday 31 July.
The Kenyan famously became the first man to run under 2:03:00 for the classic distance when he ran was is still the world record of 2:02:57 at the 2014 Berlin Marathon.
However, it has been a torrid 12 months for Kimetto since failing to finish the IAAF World Championships Beijing 2015 marathon.
He also failed to finish at the Fukuoka Marathon last December and has had several other very modest performances.
His last competitive outing was finishing 11th at this year’s London Marathon in April, in 2:11:44.
It will be Kimetto’s first ever race in South America and he will looking to continue the Kenyan winning streak in the Colombian capital, which stretches back to 2011 when Kimetto’s friend and training partner Geoffrey Mutai won in what remains the course record of 1:02:20.
Bogota’s altitude of 2600 metres inhibits fast times but that will not be a problem for Kimetto, who hails from the Kenyan city of Eldoret which is at around 2100 metres altitude. The surrounding hills, where Kimetto regularly trains, go up to 2700 metres.
Phil Minshull and organisers for the IAAF
