Alexander Munyao at the 2024 London Marathon/ FILEThe 2024 London Marathon champion Alexander Munyao is fired up to leave it all on the line as he chases glory at Sunday's New York City Marathon, his first appearance on American soil.
The 29-year-old, who stunned the world with his fearless charge in London last year, says he will dig deep in pursuit of another glittering chapter in his marathon journey.
“I will be running in New York for the very first time, so I need to push myself to the limit to test the course and see how my body responds,” Munyao said in an interview with the Star.
Though he is keeping his cards close to his chest, the Kenyan star admits the podium is firmly on his radar.
“I don’t want to promise a lot because this is a new course for me,” he said.
Despite being a New York debutant, Munyao will not be cowed by the grandeur of the race or the star-studded line-up.
“You can’t walk into a race scared because that disrupts your game plan. You have to be confident, trust your training and push yourself to see what comes,” he said.
His strategy is to stay with the lead pack, bide his time and make his move when it matters most.
“The target is to run with the leading pack while I gauge my body. The real marathon battle begins at the 30km mark, that’s where I will test my legs and decide when to strike,” he revealed.
Munyao pointed to the recent triumphs of Sebastian Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo, who both launched decisive breakaways at the 30km mark to clinch glory in London and Chicago this year.
“Sawe broke away from the pack at 30km in London and that’s exactly what Kiplimo did in Chicago. It’s a smart move if your body feels good at that point,” he said.
In London, Sawe’s brutal surge at 30km saw him storm to victory in 2:02:27, ahead of Kiplimo (2:03:37) and Munyao (2:04:20).
Earlier this month in Chicago, Kiplimo blasted away from John Korir to take the crown in 2:02:23, with Amos Kipruto (2:03:54) and Alex Masai (2:04:37) trailing behind.
However, Munyao is not chasing fast times in the Big Apple; he is chasing respect on one of the world’s toughest marathon stages.
“The New York course is generally tough. The course record there is around 2:04, which isn’t that fast compared to London or Berlin. I am not chasing a personal best, my focus is on running smart, strong and finishing on a high,” he affirmed.
The men’s course record of 2:04:58, set by Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola in 2023, remains the benchmark.
Munyao’s confidence is buoyed by his recent win at the Great North Run, where he clocked 1:00:52, a performance he describes as the perfect launchpad for his New York mission.
“The Great North Run was part of my build-up. It gave me a big morale boost heading into New York,” he said.
On Sunday, his biggest rival will be defending champion Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands, who bagged last year's crown in 2:07:39.
Munyao, however, bested Nageeye this year in London, outsprinting him to third place with both athletes timing 2:04:20.
Munyao remains cautious, though.
"I beat Nageeye in London on a photo finish and after the race, he told me I deserved the third place. In New York, maybe I may beat him again, or maybe he will come with a different game plan because I am sure he wants to defend his title."
The Kenyan ace is set to jet out to the United States on Wednesday, giving himself ample time to acclimatise and fine-tune his final preparations.
