Geoffrey Kamworor not doubting himself at favorite New York City Marathon

Geoffrey Kamworor enters the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon with confidence and belief, drawing on his impressive history in the iconic race.

The 31-year-old has claimed victory on the streets of New York twice, in 2017 and 2019, and has also secured podium finishes, placing second in 2015 and third in 2018.

Should he triumph again this year, Kamworor will join an elite group as only the third man in history to achieve three New York City Marathon victories.

Kamworor, a three-time world half marathon champion and a two-time world cross-country champion, will be keen to end his season in style.

“I always believe in myself, and I’ll never doubt my potential. Whenever I’m healthy, I know I can do something,” Kamworor stated.

Reflecting on his return to the marathon, he shared his excitement about revisiting a course where he has experienced so much success.

“My preparations for the New York City Marathon are going well. I have great memories of the course, especially the last 5 kilometers towards Central Park, which is a nice finish. It has an uphill challenge and some downhill sections, but I don’t see any problem with the course. I like it so much,” he said.

Kamworor has been battling a series of injuries that have ruled him out of major competitions.

He pulled out of the 2023 New York City Marathon owing to a pelvic stress injury. It was a bitter moment for him as he was in search of a third title in the prestigious race.

His woes started in June 2020 when he suffered a motorcycle accident during his morning run.

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The sorrowful experience saw him sustain injuries to his head and ankle. He successfully managed the injury after a surgical operation but just when he thought he was fit for competition, the pelvic stress injury again ruled him out of competition.

His marathon debut dates back to 2012, and he recently set a personal best of 2:04:23 at the 2023 TCS London Marathon, establishing himself once again as a top contender for victory in New York.

“I really wanted to go back last year, and I trained very well, but I had to pull out because of an injury,” he admitted.

Further bolstering the NN Running Team challenge is Abdi Nageeye, who also boasts a proud record in the TCS New York Marathon.

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Placing fifth on his race debut in 2021, the Dutch athlete backed this up the following year with a third-place finish.

Last year, the 35-year-old maintained his consistent New York City Marathon record when finishing fourth and is well-positioned to contend once again.

Earlier this year, Nageeye set a national record of 2:04:45 with his victory at the NN Rotterdam Marathon.