Hellen Obiri assesses her chances for Sunday's marathon debut in New York ©Citius Mag

Hellen Obiri says she is "excited" to be running her first marathon on Sunday (November 6) when she competes in the New York City race - and believes she is capable of winning.

The 32-year-old Kenyan, who won her second successive Great North Run title in September in 1hr 7min 5sec believes her background in track, where she has won two world 5,000 metres titles, and cross-country, in which she won the world title in 2019, will give her an advantage when she toes the line.

"I’m excited," Obiri said, during the New York event’s press day today.

"It’s my first marathon, I am training well and so I am looking forward to running my best.

"I want to work hard to win."

Since travelling from her Kenyan base Obiri has been training in company with her coach, Dathan Ritzenhein, a marathon Olympian in 2008 and 2012 who won bronze at the 2009 World Half Marathon Championships.

Asked what kind of time she had in mind, she replied: "I can’t say I want to run 2:17 because for me it’s my first marathon, but I want to see how fast I can go."

Ethiopia’s world champion and 2021 Berlin Marathon champion Gotytom Gebreslase will also have excellent at the weekend and said: "My goal, like any other race, is to win."

The absence of Kenya’s Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir means only one past winner - 2010 champion Edna Kiplagat - will feature in the women’s race.

Last year’s men’s winner, Kenya’s Albert Korir, told reporters: "We have to fight because everybody is coming here to win.

 "I came here to defend my title."

Home runner Galen Rupp, the Rio 2016 marathon bronze medallist, told reporters that his back injury had greatly improved and he is looking forward to making his New York City race debut on Sunday ©Citius Mag
Home runner Galen Rupp, the Rio 2016 marathon bronze medallist, told reporters that his back injury had greatly improved and he is looking forward to making his New York City race debut on Sunday ©Citius Mag

His main threat would appear to be compatriot Evans Chebet, fastest in the field with a personal best of 2:03.00, who is making his New York debut after winning at Boston earlier this year.

"The goal is to win, the time doesn’t matter," said Chebet.

Meanwhile home runner Galen Rupp, the Rio 2016 marathon bronze medallist, who will also be making his New York debut, told reporters that the back injury which undermined his prospects at this summer's World Athletics Championships, where he had to stop several times in the final miles before finishing 19th in 2:09.36, had greatly improved.

"The timing was really good this year," he said.

"Having an extra month from a lot of the other majors after the World Championships was huge.

"I'm a competitor first and foremost. 

"I would rather win in 2:20 than run 2:07 and get tenth place.

"That’s always been my mindset coming into any race."