Runner Kenya wants to fulfill the promise of breaking the MetaSports Marathon record
"I'm in good shape," Chepkwony said. "The process of training every day goes as planned. Every day, I run 35 km in the morning and evening, an average of 200 km per week."
Chepkwony is a strong candidate for the professional 42 km championship at the 2023 Marvelous Nha Trang Marathon, taking place on August 13. With the best score of 2 hours and 19 minutes, set at the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon 2019, the Kenyan runner will challenge the 31st SEA Games champion Hoang Nguyen Thanh.
Chepkwony once registered to participate in MetaSports Marathon Imperial Hue 2023 but had a visa problem so he could not enter Vietnam. At that time, the 27-year-old runner once set a goal to break the Vietnamese marathon record. This time, Chepkwony confidently can accomplish that goal.
"I was very disappointed when I couldn't go to Vietnam last time because at that time, I was really in good shape to break the record. Hope everything goes well this time. I will try to break the record of the MetaSports tournament system. marathon. The goal is to get under 2 hours and 30 minutes," said Chepkwony.
Currently, the 42 km record of the MetaSports Marathon system is 2 hours 30 minutes 03, set by Chepkwony's compatriot - Ezekiel Kemboi - at the MetaSports Marathon Ho Chi Minh City Midnight 2023.
In 2022, Chepkwony finished second in Phetchaburi Marathon with a record of 2 hours 25 minutes. After that, he won first place in Songkla Marathon after 2 hours and 29 minutes and Phang-nga Marathon after 2 hours and 22 minutes. However, the 27-year-old runner has yet to reach his personal best goal, and he wants to do it in 2023. On June 18, Chepkwony finished first in the 21km at Hatyai21 Run Awakening in Thailand. with parameters 1 hour 7 minutes 34 seconds.
Chepkwony once went to Vietnam to participate in a half marathon movement in June, but this is his first time running a full marathon here. Previously, the Kenyan athlete had participated in many tournaments in Thailand and said that the weather conditions in the two countries were quite similar, helping him not have much difficulty adapting.
Chepkwony believes that the running movement in Vietnam has a lot of potential for development and tournaments can attract the attention of more foreign athletes if well organized. "I was very surprised with the friendliness of the Vietnamese people. They helped me a lot," he said.
