Delhi half-marathon like a walk for Kenya's Kitwara

As the athletes across the world gear up for this year's Airtel Delhi half-marathon on November 27, Kenya's Sammy Kirop Kitwara feels that clocking a sub-60 minute timing is going to be like a walk in the park.

"59m is just playing," said Kitwara, who will head into the competetion on the back of a superlative finish of 58:48m in the USA earlier this September.

Ethiopia's Dereba Merga, who pulled out from the annual competetion due to an injury, holds the course record with the timing of 59:15 minutes, but the confident Kenyan says he ready to take the challenge.

"I have been preparing for this event since past two months and it will be a tough contest. I am confident of finishing the race on a positive note," Kitwara, who will be running in India for the first time, said on the sidelines of the announcement of global watch major 'Timex' as the official timing partner of the event.

While Kitwara made his intentions clear, defending champion and two-time women's champion, Aselefech Meriga of Ethiopia held her cards close to chest saying she will only speak once the marathon is over.

The Kenyan Lucy Wangui Kabuu, who made a comeback to the international competetion after a hiatus of three years in September this year, however did not shy away from saying that she will be chasing the world record set by her fellow countrymate Mary Keitany (1:05:50) in February this year at Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.

"In my comeback run at the North Great Run in the UK, I clocked a timing of 67:07 minutes. My body is in better shape than it was during the previous championship and I will try to give my best on Sunday. I will look to surpass that record," said Kabuu.

Meanwhile, Timex brand endorser and Bollywood actor Rahul Bose, who was also present at the function said that he will be running the entire distance this time around.