Kenyan runners head crack field in 2nd QCIM

MANILA, Philippines - The fancied Kenyan runners, led by CamSur International Marathon champion Richard Kemeli Kemboi, are back in full force when the second Quezon City International Marathon hits the road early tomorrow at the QC Memorial Circle.

Kemboi is seeking his second local marathon victory after ruling the inaugural CamSur Marathon last Sept 26 as he heads a crack 23-man Kenyan contingent tipped to stamp its class again in the race hosted by the Quezon City government under Mayor Herbert Bautista and Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte.

Bautista and Belmonte are expected to fire off close to 8,000 runners at the break of dawn in the event dubbed as the “Lead Run for Green Quezon City International Marathon 2010” at the Elliptical Road in front of city hall.

While fellow Kenyan Hillary Kipchumba won’t be around to defend his crown, Samuel Tarus Too, Daniel Chirchir and Daniel Kipkemei Koringo are expected to crowd Kemboi for top honors in the men’s 42.195-km race sponsored by SM Development Corp., Robinson’s Land Corp., San Jose Builders, San Miguel Corp., Unilab, Meralco, Maxima, Unilever, Isuzu Phils., SSS, Manila Water, Immuvit and Herbalife.

Chirchir and Koringo, a former world junior track and field silver medalist and who was last year’s pre-race favorite until he pulled his right hamstring at the 39-km. mark, wound up second to fourth, respectively, in the inaugural edition of the QCIM organized by the Executive Runners Inc. (Runnex).

The lanky 24-year-old Koringo, who has set his sights in competing for Kenya in the 2012 London Olympic Games, was runner-up to compatriot Jospat Kiptanui in the men’s 18-24 age group of the Pattaya Marathon last July 19.

But they may all have to contend with another countryman, Hillary Jonathan Kericho, fresh from his triumph in the Orange International Marathon last Sept. 19 in the tiny island resort nation of Mauritius off the southeast coast of Africa.

A native of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, Kericho has a personal best of 2 hours, 15 minutes and 59 seconds set in the 2008 Nairobi Marathon so he should be a runner to watch out for in the running classic that has media sponsors GMA, ABS-CBN, DZMM, The Philippine Star, Takbo.ph, Auto Review, and Philippine Amateur Radio Association as communications partner.

Also looming as strong contenders are James Cherutich Tallem, who placed third in the Penang International Bridge Marathon in Malaysia last Nov. 22, Alex Melly, who topped the Pattaya Night Marathon, and Moses Kipsang, winner of the second Bangkok Post Mini Marathon last February.

Vying for Kenya in the men’s 21K are Silas Muturi Gichovi, who captured the Penang Marathon 21K title, and Richard Habema.