Tony Payne (center).
Tony Payne will be hoping the third time's a charm when he tackles the ASB Auckland Marathon tomorrow.
The 25-year-old Auckland corporate lawyer finished third in the 2012 race and last year was fifth in his best time to date of 2h 26m 22s.
The 2012 national champion said that he has found his niche in running marathons.
"I started in 2012 and to date have run eight.
"Tomorrow's race will be a good opportunity to try and improve my time. Malcolm Hicks will be providing the pace over the first half and I'm aiming for 72 minutes to the half and then I'll try and do an even split to the finish," said Payne.
Already this year he knocked out a third place at both the Rotorua and Christchurch marathons and in September won the Dunedin marathon for the second consecutive year.
"I was looking to Rotorua as the big one this year but I couldn't get it done there so Auckland is my next goal," Payne said. The former Otago runner would very much like to cross the finish as the winner in his new adopted home town.
Competition over the 42.2km distance will come from the rapidly improving Josh Maisey, Stephen Lett, Ken Oishi of Japan and Steven O'Callaghan.
Maisey, a 21-year-old marathon rookie, debuted in the Lydiard Legends Marathon last month cutting out the tough course in an impressive 2h 29m 23s. Lett has the fastest time of the elite runners with his second placing last year in 2h 24m 58s.
The 30-year-old, who won the national half marathon title in 2011, was runner up in both the Wellington marathon last year and at Christchurch in June.
Kirstin Molloy, 35, from Newcastle, Australia returns to defend her women's title.
She has a best of 2h 43m 41s in the 2011 Melbourne Marathon and was second at Auckland in 2011 and last year won in 2h 52m 24s.
Pressing Molloy hard will be Jess Ruthe, also 35, who has returned to the competitive scene in great form having taken second in the Rotorua marathon in May in 2h 48m 37s.
Her crowning success in Auckland was in 2009 where she won in 2h 49m 55s.
"I have done the same build-up as I did for Rotorua, training has been going well with no injuries and I hope to break 2h 50m," said Ruthe.
"I just hope we don't have to face a head wind on the way back from Mission Bay," she added.
Liza Hunter-Galvan comes into the race having won the Christchurch Marathon for the last four years.
The Beijing Olympian has a best of 2h 29m 35s in Texas in 2008.
With all three races, the marathon, the half and quarter marathons, going over the harbour bridge, a total of 14,500 runners will cross over a three-hour period.
Usyk won the fight by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring it 116-112.