NAIROBI, Feb. 9 -- Kenya's Sammy Kitwara and Stanley Biwott will battle for honors at the Lisbon Half Marathon on March 11, but have ruled out attempting to run a world record time.

Both athletes are gearing up for the April marathons in London and Boston and will be using the race in the Portuguese capital to test their preparedness.

However, they face stiff challenge from the man that set the course record in Lisbon in Eritrea's Zersenay Tadese.

"I have my focus to run fast time. But running a world record is something that you plan and my focus is to win the race," Kitwara said.

Kitwara, who won in Lisbon in 2016 clocking a fast time of 59:47 will be keen to recapture the title he lost last year to Jake Robertson of New Zealand.

In 2011 Tadese clocked a sizzling 58:30, just seven seconds shy of the world record he set on the very course in 2010 of 58:23.

The world record-holder from Eritrea faces two athletes from Kenya who have run under one hour. Kitwara's personal best time stands at 58:48 while Biwott (58:56) can be ruled out for title contention.

Kenyan runners have been very successful in the competition, accounting for over half of the total winners in Lisbon, with Tegla Loroupe taking the honors in the women's race on six separate occasions

Therefore world cross country fourth-placer Alice Aprot will be making her debut in the women's race keen to follow in the footsteps of her mentor.

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