Defending champion of the London Marathon Amos Kipruto will be up against the fastest man on the field Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele, as he bids to retain his title on April 23.
Kipruto will be in the company of 23-year-old compatriot Kelvin Kiptum, who produced the fastest marathon debut in history as he claimed victory in Valencia in December in 2:01:53.
“I can’t wait to return to London as the champion,” said Kenya’s Kipruto.
“London always has a really strong field and this year is the same so I know I will face a battle to defend my title, but I’m confident and looking forward to it,” the 30-year-old added.
The Ethiopians pose a threat to Kenya's title chances. Bekele, the second fastest man in history behind two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge, will have world champion Tamirat Tola for company as well as Birhanu Legese and Mosinet Geremew.
Both Ethiopians Legese (2:02:48) and Geremew (2:02:55) have also run under Kipruto’s winning time of 2:04:39 last October. Two-time Berlin Marathon winner Bekele, runner-up in London in 2017, is considered one of the greatest distance runners of all time.
However, the 40-year-old could only finish fifth at his fifth London Marathon last year. His personal best of two hours one minute 41 seconds is second only to Kipchoge.
Kipchoge, the world record holder and a four-time winner in London, is absent from the line-up — instead targeting his Boston Marathon debut.
Britain’s four-time Olympic track champion Mo Farah will also compete as he prepares to say an “emotional goodbye” at the event.
