Frankfurt Marathon champion Brimim Misoi faces a stern test as he seeks to defend his crown in the German city on October 29.
Misoi clocked to win the event 2:06:11 last year and is relishing the challenge of retaining the crown at the end of next month.
“I have been training for the past two months I know the field is quite competitive but I am confident I can defend my title," said Misoi
Misoi will have last year's runners-up Samuel Mailu for the company.
Mailu has been in a rich vein of form, winning the Vienna Marathon this year in 2:05:08.
The Kenyan duo will come up against 2021 Berlin Marathon champion Guye Adola of Ethiopia.
Adola is the fastest man in the field for this year's event with a personal best of 2:03:46 clocked on his debut over the distance in Berlin in 2017, where he finished second to Eliud Kipchoge despite leading for the better part of the event's 40km.
The greatest triumph of his career —so far—has also been in Berlin when he won the event two years ago in 2:05:45, a performance of special merit in warm conditions and beating another all-time great, Kenenisa Bekele.
Visiline Jepkesho and Magdalene Masai are the top Kenyans in the women's category. Masai bagged the Vienna Marathon title in April, clocking 2:24:12. She has a personal best of 2:22:16 set in Toronto in 2019.
Jepkesho is the fastest in the field with a personal best of 2:21:37 set at the 2014 Paris Marathon, where she finished fourth.
Both will have to keep a sharp eye on Buzunesh Gudeta. The Ethiopian finished fourth in Barcelona in 2:22:38 in March.
Another athlete to note is the European silver medallist in the marathon, Matea Parlov Kostro. The Croat has a personal best 2:25:45 clocked while winning the Hanover Marathon in March.
