Dennis Kimetto Looking to Return to Winner's Circle at the Daegu International Marathon in South Korea

By Adam Kopet

Until last year's Berlin Marathon, Dennis Kimetto was the marathon world record holder, having run 2:02:57 at the 2014 Berlin Marathon.

Four years of injury followed, but the 34-year-old Kenyan now believes he is healthy and is looking to stand atop the podium once again, this time at the Daegu International Marathon, an IAAF Silver Label race on April 7 in South Korea, according to Bernard Rotich of the Daily Nation.

The first signs of Kimetto being injury free came last fall at the Shanghai International Marathon. He finished 10th in 2:14:54 in less than ideal weather conditions, but did so without the pain he had tried to manage for the previous four years.

Kimetto still believes he is capable of breaking the world record, which Eliud Kipchoge now owns at 2:01:39. However, he does not see himself running that fast in Daegu. His goal is to win. It would be his first marathon win since the 2014 Berlin Marathon.

However, Kimetto has talked a big game before. Prior to the 2017 Chicago Marathon, Kimetto was already talking about setting up a world record attempt at the 2018 Berlin Marathon, as was previously reported. As it turns out, the record was broken in that race, but by Kipchoge, not Kimetto who was not in the race.

This time it appears Kimetto is taking his return to form more slowly than in the past, taking small steps and not jumping into the big marathons until he is ready.