The 2023 Rome Marathon champion Betty Chepkwony faces an acid test when she lines up for the Dubai Marathon on Sunday.
Chepkwony, who made her breakthrough by winning in Italy last year in a time of 2:23:02, faces defending champion Dera Dida, who won last year's event in 2:21:11.
Also in the mix is Osaka Marathon winner Haiven Hailu of Ethiopia.
Hailu has victories in Rotterdam in 2022 (2:22:01) and a year later in, Osaka, Japan, (2:21:13), while her personal best of 2:20:19 came when finishing third at the 2019 Amsterdam Marathon.
Chepkwony said she is ready to spoil the Ethiopian domination in the UAE.
“I have trained well and am ready to face tough competitors. I know they will be at their best but I am relishing the challenge,” said Chepkwony.
The 28-year-old said she hopes to adapt to the hot and humid conditions as soon as the gun goes.
"The conditions are going to be hot but I have trained under the same conditions. Tactical strategy will be key,” added Chepkwony, who finished second at the 2019 Sofia Marathon (2:36:57) and 2018 Zurich Marathon (2:38:15).
Ethiopians Workineh Tadese and Kebede Tulu are the favourites to win their first Dubai Marathon titles.
A personal best of 2:05:07 from the Hamburg Marathon in 2022 was a major improvement on Tadese’s marathon journey, shaving more than two minutes of his previous PB set at the Amsterdam Marathon six months earlier.
Tulu has been on a steady upward curve too in his short marathon journey.
Since finishing eighth at the 2020 Mumbai Marathon, he has consistently lowered his personal best every time he has completed the marathon. Marathons in Slovakia, Italy, the Netherlands and Barcelona culminated in a new personal best of 2:05:19 and second place at the Seville Marathon in February 2023.
Event Director Peter Connerton said: “The athletes are excited about the event returning to the flat and fast course around Umm Suqeim, the Burj Al Arab and the Jumeirah Beach Road, which is renowned for delivering fast times.”