"Considering how demanding a marathon is on the body, I am in very good shape right now. I'm going to Tartu to win and I want to have a tough battle with Olavi Allas," Nurme said.

"A week later, I plan to participate in the Bucharest Marathon in Romania. It's a pretty big marathon and I want to take advantage of my good form and compete for victory there as well," he added.

Kenya's Julius Muriuki Wahome, who recently won the half marathon at the Ülemiste Night Run event, plans to set a new course record in Tartu.

In the women's race, Estonia's Liis-Grete Hussar deserves attention, having triumphed in all 21 races she has started this season.

"I haven't competed in a marathon distance race for nine years. I originally planned to run a marathon in Tallinn, but I didn't have enough time to prepare, so where else but in my hometown of Tartu?" said Hussar.

"I'm just going to enjoy running a marathon after such a long time, and my only wish is to beat my personal record," she said.

Karel Hussar and Deniss Šalkausakas, who are both in very good form this year, have also set their sights on victory in the half marathon. "Of course, I want to win, but the competition will be tough, and Šalkausakas will be a force to be reckoned with," said Karel Hussar, who was the quickest Estonian competitor in the Tallinn Marathon, finishing fourth overall.

"Karel will be my main competitor, and I hope to beat him. I also want to improve on my result from last year," said Šalkauskas. "The Tartu City Marathon is my favorite competition; I really like the atmosphere there in the fall."

The 14th Tartu City Marathon takes place Saturday, October 4. Participants can choose between 10 km, 21 km, and 42 km distances, and there are also additional races for children.

More information about the event, including how to take part, can be found on the official website here.

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