Namibia's Helalia Johannes believes she is in good shape to repeat her history-making gold medal from Gold Coast 2018 and thinks a new Commonwealth Games record could be set in Birmingham.

The 41-year-old became Namibia's first women's athletics gold medallist in the marathon four years ago.

She opted to miss this month's world athletics championships to focus on the defence of her title and is confident she can match the fast times expected at the finish line in Victoria Square.

Australia's Lisa Martin set the current Commonwealth record of 2:25:28 at Auckland in 1990.

"In Australia [at Gold Coast 2018] the conditions were too hot for fast times and we ran a slow first half of the race, but I think the weather will be better this time," Johannes said.

It (the record) could be (under threat). There are some good runners, from Kenya and other countries, and I've been told it is a nice course and you can run fast
Helalia Johannes

"It (the record) could be (under threat). There are some good runners, from Kenya and other countries, and I've been told it is a nice course and you can run fast.

"I haven't run a marathon since last November, but I have had a lot of nice races over shorter distances and a good half-marathon last month [when she beat her own national record in South Africa]. I am in good shape."

Maurine Chepkemoi and Stellah Barsosio lead Kenya's hopes in the women's marathon, an event which also features the oldest athletics competitor at the Games in 45-year-old Australian Sinead Diver.

The long-standing Commonwealth record could also be under threat in the men's marathon.

England's Chris Thompson set the time of 2:09:12 at Christchurch in 1974 but that will be in the sights of Uganda's Victor Kiplangat - who ran 2:05:09 in April's Hamburg Marathon - and Tanzania's Alphonce Felix Simbu.