NAIROBI, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- World half marathon record-holder Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya will warm up to her debut marathon in Hamburg with a run in New York on March 17.
It will mark the first shot for Jepkosgei to return to winning ways after nursing a twisted ankle, which forced her out of Honolulu Marathon in Hawaii in January. The 24-year-old, said she was frustrated by the injury, the second she had last year after she sustained a foot injury days before the World Half Marathon Championships in Valencia, Spain.
That injury kept her out of competition for two months before she returned to action at the Great Manchester 10km run, where she finished third.
Now she is ready for action and has penciled New York as her first stop on her route to Hamburg in April.
"My manager and my coach both told me that Hamburg has a fast and flat course," Jepkosgei said. "I would like to achieve a time of around 2:22. But there are still two months of preparation to come and New York will show me how my body is reacting to training and gauge my fitness."
In New York, Jepkosgei will have to be at her best form to beat compatriot and two-time world marathon champion Edna Kiplagat, two-time world half marathon medalist Mary Wacera and Ethiopia's reigning champion Buze Diriba.
"This is my specialty and I want to push myself and see how fast I can run. Once I am a week away from the Hamburg race I will see what kind of form I am in. Then I will determine my final goal," said Jepkosgei.
Desiree Linden will also compete in the New York ahead of her title defense in the Boston Marathon in April.
In the men's race, Paul Chelimo will make his half marathon debut.
"I have unfinished business on the track, and then I'm looking forward to making a debut in the New York Marathon in the near future," he said.
Chelimo will face a largely domestic line-up including reigning champion Ben True, Abdi Abdirahman and Jared Ward.
