Kenyan Julius Maisei is back for Marathon with history on his mind
Defending champion is eager to set a record by winning back-to-back races
A confident defending men's champion Julius Maisei is back because he wants to start building his home in Eldoret, Kenya with "hopefully the prize money which I will win on Sunday".
In the 17 years of the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, no men's champion has returned to successfully defend his crown. Maisei wants to be the first so that he can get cracking on laying the foundation for his future home.
"With my first prize money last year, I returned home and brought a quarter-of-an-acre of land in my town, Eldoret. Now I hope I can win on Sunday again so that I can start building my house," said the 33-year-old Maisei.
I know it is going to be hard. It is a strong field but I will try to do my best. I like coming to China, this has been a lucky place for me
"Apart from my house, I also want to be the first man to win two marathons in a row."
Maisei will have a tough time achieving his dreams because assembled for tomorrow's 6.10am start is a strong field: with organisers bidding to claim IAAF "Gold Label" status next year, they have invited a number of runners who have registered times of below two hours and 10 minutes.
"Yes, I know it is going to be hard. It is a strong field but I will try to do my best," said the upbeat Kenyan. "I like coming to China, this has been a lucky place for me."
After winning in Hong Kong last year, in 2:14:18, and pocketing US$57,000, Maisei ran twice on the mainland twice, winning both races, before finishing a profitable 2013 by winning the Macau Marathon in December, in 2:12:43.