Race director Dave Bedford completed his holiday shopping early, opening his checkbook wide to purchase a superb men's field for next April's Flora London Marathon.
Not only has he brought back the top four finishers from his own event, but five of the top six finishers from the Beijing Olympic Marathon, including all of the medalists. Eight men in the field have broken the 2:07 barrier, and previous champions from the marathons in Chicago, London, New York, Paris, Rotterdam and Tokyo are all in the field.
"With 11 men who have run faster than 2:08 this is probably the highest quality field we've ever assembled for the men's race," Bedford said through a media release.
At the top of the heap are Kenya's two best marathoners, 2007/2008 World Marathon Majors champion Martin Lel, and Olympic gold medalist Samuel Wanjiru. Lel, who missed the ING New York City Marathon three weeks ago because of a broken foot, is already a three-time London champion (2005, 2007 and 2008) and is the course record holder (2:05:15). He hopes to become the first man to win four times, and only the second to win the race three times in a row.
"It's wonderful to be coming back to London," said the 30-year-old who is one of Kenya's most eligible bachelors. "I have great memories from my last three victories and will be doing my best to put my name in the record books with a fourth win."
Wanjiru won the Olympic gold medal in one of the most spectacular performances in all of marathon history. Despite very warm conditions and less than stellar air quality, Wanjiru beat up on the field with multiple surges, swooping into the Bird's Nest to smash the Games record by nearly three minutes in 2:06:32. Wanjiru was also second at London this year in a personal best 2:05:24.
"In particular, we are delighted to welcome back our reigning champion Martin Lel and the Olympic champion Sammy Wanjiru whose performance so delighted us this summer," Bedford added.
Joining Lel and Wanjiru will be the remainder of the Olympic Games podium, Morocco's Jaouad Gharib (2:07:02 PB) and Ethiopia's Tsegaye Kebede (2:06:40), plus sixth place finisher Viktor Röthlin of Switzerland (2:07:23 NR). Moroccan Abderrahim Goumri (2:05:30 NR), third at London and second at New York this year, is also in the field along with Kenyans Felix Limo (2:06:14) and Emmanuel Mutai (2:06:15). Veterans Khalid Khannouchi of the United States (2:05:36 NR) and Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa (2:06:55) are also in the field.
A great marathon isn't complete without an interesting debut, and Bedford's race has that component, too. Three-time world road running champion Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea will run his first 42.195 km race in London, Bedford also announced.
Although he doesn't have a big personal best time (2:11:06), American Dathan Ritzenhein is hoping to chop several minutes off of that mark in London. The 25 year-old two-time Olympian finished ninth in the Olympic Games Marathon, one place ahead of compatriot Ryan Hall who ran a 2:06:17 personal best at London this year. Hall has decided to run Boston in 2009.
The Flora London Marathon, part of the World Marathon Majors, is scheduled for Sunday, April 26. This will be the last year under the sponsorship of Flora, a food company, before Virgin Money takes over sponsorship in 2010. The race name will change to the Virgin London Marathon in 2010.
2009 Flora London Marathon - Men's Invited Field (with personal best times):
Martin Lel KEN 2:05:15
Sammy Wanjiru KEN 2:05:24
Abderrahim Goumri MAR 2:05:30 NR
Khalid Khannouchi USA 2:05:36 NR
Felix Limo KEN 2:06:14
Emmanuel Mutai KEN 2:06:15
Tsegaye Kebede ETH 2:06:40
Hendrick Ramaala RSA 2:06:55
Jaouad Gharib MAR 2:07:02
Viktor Röthlin SUI 2:07:23 NR
Yonas Kifle ERI 2:07:34 NR
Tessema Abshiro ETH 2:08:26
Dathan Ritzenhein USA 2:11:06
Zersenay Tadese ERI Debut
Hicham Bellani MAR Debut
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