Kenya's 'Fantastic Four' to lead the women's field at the London Marathon
Defending champ and two other former winners are set to battle it out in the capital.
Defending London Marathon champion Edna Kiplagat will take on two of the race's past champions, Mary Keitany and Priscah Jeptoo, and the 2014 runner-up Florence Kiplagat in the London Marathon on April 26. Jeptoo (2013) and Keitany (2014) are also the two most recent New York City Marathon champions.
The women's contest is being referred to in London Marathon publicity as the battle of the Fantastic Four, but the race includes seven women who've run 2:22 or faster, including Jemima Sumgong (2:20:41), runner-up at the 2012 Boston, 2013 Chicago, and 2014 New York City Marathons, and Ethiopians Feyse Tadese (2:20:27) and Tigist Tufa (2:21:52).
Tatyana Arkhipova of Russia, the 2012 Olympic bronze medalist, and Tetyana Gamera-Shmyrko, the winner of the Osaka International Ladies Marathon in 2013 and 2014, are also entered, along with 2014 European Championships gold medalist Christelle Daunay of France and 2014's third-place New York City Marathon finisher Sara Moreira of Portugal.
But the four lead Kenyans merit the lion's share of attention.
Edna Kiplagat, who has a personal best of 2:19:50, has won the last two World Championship marathons, and also won New York City in 2010. She won London last year after one third (2011) and two seconds (2012 and 2013) at the race.
Keitany, with a 2:18:37 in 2102, the second of her two consecutive London wins, has the African marathon record and fastest time in the field. Last November, she returned after maternity break to win New York City in 2:25:07.
Priscah Jeptoo, silver medalist at the 2011 World Championships and 2012 Olympics, set her PR of 2:20:14 while finishing third at London in 2012. In 2013, she won London and New York City. She dropped out of last April's London race with a leg injury, and didn't defend her New York City title in November.
Florence Kiplagat (no relation to Edan Kiplagat) is the world half marathon record holder (1:05:12) and has been a world champion in the half marathon and cross country. Her personal best of 2:19:44 came in her 2011 Berlin Marathon victory.
The London men's field was announced last week. It includes world record holder Dennis Kimetto, defending champion Wilson Kipsang and six others who've broken 2:05.
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