Olympic 5000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot will on Sunday make her debut in the 2017 London Marathon.
Cheruiyot won the 5000m gold medal during the 2016 Rio Olympics as well as bagged a silver medal in the 10000m at the competition.
The track sensation will be going up against one of the strongest women’s lineup ever assembled for a major city marathon in recent times when she attempts the 42.195km course for the first time in her career.
Her competitors will feature an elite field of marathon runners who have won gold medals in various competitions across the world.
They include London Marathon defending champion Jemima Sumgong, Tokyo marathon winner Helah Kiprop, New York winner Mary Keitany and Florence Kiplagat (Chicago).
Others are Ethiopian three-time Berlin Marathon champion Aberu Kebede and compatriots Tirunesh Dibaba and reigning world champion Mare Dibaba.
The 2015 London champion Tigist Tufa has also enlisted in the race.
The Marathon record, set in 2003 by Briton Paula Radcliffe, stands at 2:15.25 far off the sub 15m time that Cheruiyot is accustomed to.
This means the race will not only be an endurance test to the former 1000m world champion but also a test to her tactical skills as she will be going up a pack of experienced athletes.
