KAMPALA, Nov. 2 -- Top Ugandan athlete and 2017 Olympic gold medal winner Stephen Kiprotich is all set for the 2017 Fukuoka Marathon slated for Dec. 3 in Japan.

Kiprotich told Xinhua in an interview on Thursday that after pulling out of two marathons, he is ready to compete in Japan.

He said running in Fukuoka will prepare him for the Tokyo marathon early next year and the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.

"It will be a tough challenge running against last year's winner Tsegay Yemane from Ethiopia and other runners from Eritrea and Kenya," the Olympic star said as he headed to his training camp in Kaptagat, in neighboring Kenya.

The Fukuoka International Open Marathon Championship held in Fukuoka, Japan, is an IAAF Gold Label international men's marathon race established in 1947.

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