Kamworor, Flanagan eye defence of New York Marathon

Kenya's Geoffrey Kamworor will look to extend his unbeaten streak in 2018 on Sunday when he returns to defend his New York City Marathon crown against a phalanx of East African rivals.

The 25-year-old Kamworor has not lost a race in two previous outings this year, winning gold in the World Half Marathon Championships in March before claiming a 10,000m victory in Bangalore in May.

Kamworor produced a strong finish at last year's New York Marathon, storming home in 2hrs 10min 53sec to finish the 26.2 mile course ahead of runner-up Wilson Kipsang.

The Kenyan champion would become only the seventh runner in history to successfully defend the New York crown with another win on Sunday.

Kamworor, who trains with newly minted marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge, is feeling confident ahead of the world famous race, which sees more than 50,000 runners pounding the streets through all five boroughs of the Big Apple.

"My preparation is going as well as last year - it's almost the same and so far, so good," Kamworor said.

"I believe in what I have done and I am ready to race. If I win, I will be the happiest man in the world because I will have won everything this year."

The biggest threat to Kamworor's hopes of a successful title defence could well come from Ethiopia, in the shape of Tamirat Tola and Shura Kitata.

Both Tola and Kitata have clocked personal bests for the marathon of under 2hr 5min, meaning Kamworor will keep a wary eye on the duo on Sunday.

Kitata's personal best of 2:04:49 came at the London Marathon in April, where he finished second after a blistering start which saw him go through the first 13.1 miles in 61 minutes.

Flanagan's farewell?

In the women's race meanwhile, reigning champion Shalane Flanagan will once again aim to give US fans something to cheer about as she sets out to defend her title in the face of a renewed challenge from three-time champion Mary Keitany of Kenya.

Flanagan, 37, became the first American woman to win the race in 40 years last year when she pulled away from Keitany in the closing stages to claim a famous victory.

She has since flirted with retirement from the sport but elected to return to New York to defend her title, even if she acknowledges the clock is ticking on her career.

"My fitness is good, I couldn't ask for better," said Flanagan, admitting that Sunday's race may turn out to be her farewell.

"Over the past two years I've acted as if each marathon is my last, not knowing where it's going to take me. Until I cross the finish line, I honestly don't know."

While Kamworor starts as the clear favourite in the men's race, Flanagan's route to a second title looks more difficult.

As well as Keitany, who is back for another tilt at the title she won three times in a row in 2014, 2015 and 2016, Flanagan will have to contend with Vivian Cheruiyot, the 2016 Olympic 5,000m champion who was a convincing victory in the London Marathon in April.

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