By Sportswriter John Kwoba

NAIROBI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Agnes Barsosio and Ruth Chebitok will be striving to become the first Kenyan women to win the Gold Coast Marathon in its 40-year history when they line up on July 1.

Barsosio, who holds a personal best time of 2:20:59, and Chebitok (2:25:49) are confirmed for the Gold Coast Marathon, whose line-up also includes top Australians Jess Trengove (2:27:01) and Celia Sullohern (2:29:27), who will be vying for the 40,000 U.S. dollars prize money on offer for breaking the 2:28-barrier.

"I believe in my strength to run under difficult conditions and while I know the humidity will present a challenge, I have to train harder to counter it. I know that top names will be running in the Gold Coast, but it is down to how prepared and serious I am to seek the title that will matter," said Barsosio on Saturday in Nairobi.

Australia's Trengove won a bronze medal in the marathon at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, while Sullohern, who won the Melbourne Marathon last year, was a top-six finisher in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter events at the Commonwealth Games.

The line-up also includes 20-year-old Ayaka Fujimoto, who finished fourth in the Tokyo Marathon in 2:27:08.