Host nation Peru has a golden opportunity to win its first athletics medals of the Lima 2019 Pan American Games when the men's and women's marathons get the sport underway on Saturday 27 July.
Starting and finishing at
Kennedy Park in Miraflores district, the competitors will race over two laps of a 21-kilometer loop through the streets of the capital. Peru's marathon head coach, Rodolfo Gomez believes his athletes are ready to meet their nation's high expectations.
"All of them are well prepared," Gomez said. "I believe we have very good chances to win more than one medal on Saturday. Being locals could mean more pressure for the athletes, but I'm confident they will be able to handle the extra pressure."
For one of the host's biggest stars it could be a journey to redemption after she won, then lost, the gold medal in Toronto four years ago.
Peruvian Gladys Tejeda was the toast of Peru in 2015 when she defeated reigning champion Adriana Da Silva (Brazil) in a Games record, only to be disqualified a month later for failing a drugs test.
Now 33,
Tejeda is tipped to taste success again on home soil. She broke the South American half marathon record on her return to competition following a six-month ban, and went on to finish as the top South American at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games marathon.
She also ran her third quickest time in Osaka last January, and this February was runner-up at the South American cross country championships.
Tejeda will not be joined by her heralded teammate
Ines Melchor, who has had to pull out with a back injury. However, she is likely to face stiff competition from Da Silva, who is going for her third consecutive title at 37.
Canadian Rachel Cliff should challenge for gold. She broke the national record in Nagoya last March and is the quickest in the field this year. Brazil has further medal chances with Valdilene Silva and Adreia Hessel, who have run personal bests in recent months.
Men
Peruvians have strong medal hopes in the men's race, too, through Rio Olympian Christhian Pacheco and Willy Canchanya, who was ninth at the Berlin Marathon last year.
The favorites come from Mexico and Brazil, however, with Mexicans Juan Pacheco (Mexico) and Juan Luis Barrios quickest of the entrants on recent form, followed by Daniel Da Silva (Brazil).
Paraguay's Derlis Ayala could feature after running a national record at the London Marathon this April. Toronto 2015 bronze medalist Mariano Mastromarino (Argentina) looks ready to make the podium again after breaking the Argentinian record this February.