Defending champion Yalemzerf, the renowned Kenenisa eye glory in Sunday’s London Marathon

Addis Ababa, April 22, 2023 (FBC) – The legendary Ethiopian long distance runner Kenenisa Bekele and last year’s TCS London Marathon winner, Yalemzerf Yehualaw, will take on a strong field of runners at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Sunday.

The women’s line-up features 10 women who have broken 2:19 for the marathon, six of them with sub-2:18 PBs. The men’s field, meanwhile, contains six sub-2:04 performers, World Athletics stats indicate.

Yalemzerf Yehualaw made her marathon debut in April last year, clocking 2:17:23 to win in Hamburg. She followed that with a 2:17:26 triumph in London in October. But the 23-year-old Ethiopian, contesting just her third race at the classic distance, now faces her toughest marathon test to date as she takes on world record-holder Brigid Kosgei and Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir.

Other prominent Ethiopian women athletes, such as Almaz Ayana, Almaz Ayana, Genzebe Dibaba, Sutume Asefa Kebede, and Alemu Megertu, will go head to head against the aforementioned trio.

“I am so happy to be back in London, a beautiful city with a great competition,” said Yalemzerf, who won over 10km in Valencia earlier this year with 29:19, just five seconds shy of her own world record. “My preparation has gone very well. I want to defend my title on Sunday and am ready to do my best.”

Almaz Ayana and Genzebe Dibaba made their marathon debuts in Amsterdam last year. Almaz, the 2016 Olympic 10,000m champion, won in a course record of 2:17:20, while world 1500m record-holder Genzebe was second in 2:18:05.

Meanwhile, the legendary long distance runner Kenenisa Bekele returms to the men’s field which will line up strong competitors, including defending champion Amos Kipruto and his compatriot Kelvin Kiptum.

Kenenisa Bekele, the second-fastest man ever with a PB of 2:01:41, is one of the all-time greats of distance running. A multiple world champion on the track and cross country, the Ethiopian has focused on the roads in recent years.

Recall that despite being almost 41 years of age, he finished fifth in London last year in 2:05:53.

World champion Tamirat Tola and fellow Ethiopians Birhanu Legese and Leul Gebresilase – the runner-up last year – add further depth to the field.

UK’s Mo Farah, meanwhile, recently announced that this weekend’s race will be his final marathon.