The 2021 New York City Marathon winner, Albert Korir, hopes to reclaim his Ottawa Marathon title from 2019 when he competes in the Canadian capital on Sunday.
Korir, a late addition to the elite men's field, will be running his first race of 2025 after missing April’s Boston Marathon due to injury.
"Run Ottawa is proud to welcome elite Kenyan marathoner Albert Korir to the start line of the 2025 edition of the marathon," the organisers said in a statement.
"Korir, who captured the Ottawa Marathon title in 2019, will return to Canada's capital with his sights set on reclaiming the title."
The 31-year-old won the 2019 edition in 2:08:03 ahead of Ethiopians Abera Kuma (2:08:14) and Tsehat Ayana (2:08:54).
"After a setback in training and cancelling Boston, I am happy to race this weekend," Korir said.
In his absence in Boston, John Korir executed a masterclass performance to claim the title in 2:04:45 with Tanzania's Alphonse Simbu (2:05:04) and CyBrian Kotut (2:05:94) completing the podium.
Korir’s most recent outing was at the 2024 New York City Marathon, where he finished third in 2:08:00 behind the Netherlands’ Abdi Nageeye (2:07:39) and compatriot Evans Chebet (2:07:45).
Earlier that year, he placed fifth in Boston, running 2:07:47.
The seasoned road warrior boasts an extensive resume over the classic distance.
He was runner-up in New York in 2023 with a lifetime best of 2:06:57 to trail Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola (2:04:58).
He boasts victories from Wien 2017 (2:08:40) and Houston 2019 (2:10:02), where he led Ethiopia's Yitayal Zerihun (2:10:08) and compatriot Justus Kimutai (2:10:25).
Korir holds podium finishes from Otsu (2:08:17 in 2018), Cape Town (2:09:02 in 2018), New York (2:98:36 in 2019) and Barcelona (2:10:08 in 2016).
He joins a strong Kenyan contingent in Ottawa, including 2019 Eindhoven champion Laban Mutai, 2022 Riga Half Marathon runner-up Shadrack Kimining and Lisbon Marathon winner Wisley Kimeli.
Mutai will seek redemption after a 17th-place finish in Paris (2:11:39) on April 3.
Kimining hopes to build on his impressive third-place showing at the Houston Marathon (2:08:29) in January.
Kimeli, meanwhile, is chasing his first podium of the year after near misses in Riyadh (fourth in 2:08:42) and Riga (fifth in 2:14:10).
