QC international marathon hits road early today

MANILA, Philippines - Fancied Kenyan runners, including CamSur International Marathon champion Richard Kemeli Kemboi, banner a huge, strong field competing in the second Quezon City International Marathon at the Quezon Memorial Circle today.

Hillary Kipchumba will not be around to defend the crown but 23 Kenyans will be there, likely to stamp their class in the event presented by the Quezon City government under Mayor Herbert Bautista and Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte.

Bautista and Belmonte fire off close to 10,000 runners at the break of dawn on the Elliptical Road in front of the city hall.

Kemboi seeks a second title in four months with compatriots Samuel Tarus Too, Daniel Chirchir and Daniel Kipkemei Koring among those likely to give him tough challenge in the 42.195K run dubbed “Lead Run for Green Quezon City International Marathon 2010.

Koringo, a former world junior track and field silver medalist, settled for fourth last year after sustaining a pulled hamstring at the 39K mark.

Too and Chirchir overtook Koringo and finished second and third, respectively, in the inaugural edition organized by the Executive Runners Inc. (Runnex).

The lanky 24-year-old Koringo, setting his sights to run in the 2012 London Olympics, was runner-up to compatriot Jospat Kiptanui in the men’s 18-24 age group of the Pattaya Marathon last July 19.

Another fancied Kenyan bet is Hillary Jonathan Kericho, fresh from a triumph in the Orange International Marathon last Sept. 19 in Mauritius.

A native of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, Kericho has a personal best of 2 hours, 15 minutes, 59 seconds set in the 2008 Nairobi Marathon.

He could be the runner to watch in the running classic sponsored by SM Development Corporation, Robinson’s Land Corporation, San Jose Builders, San Miguel Corporation, Unilab, Meralco, Maxima, Unilever, Isuzu Philippines, SSS, Manila Water, Immuvit and Herbalife.

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

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

In the absence of reigning champion Doreen Kitaka, Fridah Lodepa looms as early favorite in the women’s side of the event backed by GMA, ABS-CBN, DZMM, The Philippine Star, Takbo.ph, Auto Review, and Philippine Amateur Radio Association.

Lodepa is a favorite, having won the Pattaya Marathon last July.

Lucy Karimi Mugambi, runner-up in the Penang Marathon, may give Lodepa a run for her money.

Expected to banner the local challenge are multi-titled marathoners Cresenciano Sabal and Cristabel Martes.

Runnex president Rudy Fernandez announced that traffic at the Elliptical Road will be closed from 12 midnight to 12 noon.