Organisers of the Boston Marathon have revealed their fastest ever men&rsquo;s field for the 126th edition of the World Athletics Platinum Elite Label road race on 18 April.
It features 12 men with lifetime bests faster than 2:06, led by three-time Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia, the second fastest marathon runner in history with a best of 2:01:41.
&ldquo;I recognise the tradition of the Boston Marathon and look forward to racing in April,&rdquo; said Bekele. &ldquo;For many years Ethiopia has had a strong tradition in Boston, and I am excited to join that legacy. I have long looked forward to racing the Boston Marathon.&rdquo;
Seven of the past eight winners will also return to Boston, including 2021 champion Benson Kipruto of Kenya. Lawrence Cherono (2019), Yuki Kawauchi (2018), Geoffrey Kirui (2017), Lemi Berhanu (2016), and Lelisa Desisa (2015 and 2013) are the other six former winners.
&ldquo;Being back in Boston as a champion is very exciting, but at the same time I feel the pressure and the responsibility to defend my title,&rdquo; said Kipruto. &ldquo;I really admire those athletes that managed to be multiple champions in big races. I really want to do my best to be one of them and I really hope to make my name among those Boston champions that people will remember for a long time.&rdquo;
Other strong contenders include Titus Ekiru, the fastest marathon runner in the world last year having run 2:02:57 in Milan, 2020 world leader Evans Chebet, New York City Marathon winner Albert Korir, and three-time world half marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor.
Organisers for World Athletics
<h2>Men&rsquo;s elite field</h2>
Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:01:41 Titus Ekiru (KEN) 2:02:57 Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:03:00 Lawrence Cherono (KEN) 2:03:04 Bernard Koech (KEN) 2:04:09 Lemi Berhanu (ETH) 2:04:33 Lelisa Desisa (ETH) 2:04:45 Gabriel Geay (TAN) 2:04:55 Benson Kipruto (KEN) 2:05:13 Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 2:05:23 Eric Kiptanui (KEN) 2:05:47 Bethwell Yegon (KEN) 2:06:14 Geoffrey Kirui (KEN) 2:06:27 Eyob Faniel (ITA) 2:07:19 Yuki Kawauchi (JPN) 2:07:27 Albert Korir (KEN) 2:08:03 Amanuel Mesel (ERI) 2:08:17 Bayelign Teshager (ETH) 2:08:28 Tsegay Tuemay Weldibanos (ERI) 2:09:07 Scott Fauble (USA) 2:09:09 Colin Bennie (USA) 2:09:38 Trevor Hofbauer (CAN) 2:09:51 Jared Ward (USA) 2:09:25 Ian Butler (USA) 2:09:45 Mick Iacofano (USA) 2:09:55 Jake Riley (USA) 2:10:02 Jerrell Mock (USA) 2:10:37 Jemal Yimer (ETH) 2:10:38 Juan Luis Barrios (MEX) 2:10:55 Matt McDonald (USA) 2:11:10 Matt Llano (USA) 2:11:14 Elkanah Kibet (USA) 2:11:15 CJ Albertson (USA) 2:11:18 Diego Estrada (USA) 2:11:54

Led by Kenenisa Bekele, the elite field features 12 men with lifetime bests faster than 2:06

Boston Marathon announces their fastest ever men’s field

When the TCS New York City Marathon takes place on Sunday (7), it will be returning for its 50th running &ndash; a golden celebration. Two multiple global gold medallists looking to mark the occasion by claiming yet another crown are Peres Jepchirchir and Kenenisa Bekele as they run the World Athletics Elite Platinum Label road race for the first time.
For Jepchirchir the event comes three months after her Olympic triumph in Sapporo, where the Kenyan clocked 2:27:20, while three-time Olympic track champion Bekele is back in action six weeks after placing third in the Berlin Marathon.
They are certainly no strangers to success, but they will both face some tough competition when they line up in the Big Apple this weekend.
Jepchirchir leads the entries for the women&rsquo;s race and sits fifth on the world all-time list with her PB of 2:17:16, set when winning the Valencia Marathon last December.
&ldquo;The 50th year of something is often called its &lsquo;golden anniversary,&rsquo; so how fitting it will be that for New York City&rsquo;s 50th running I will run as the Olympic gold medallist,&rdquo; said the two-time world half marathon champion.
&ldquo;2021 has already been a magical year, and I am excited that it is not yet over.&rdquo; 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/610df647b66998d3e375024a.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />
 But among those looking to deny Jepchirchir a fairytale in New York will be Ethiopia&rsquo;s 2019 Tokyo Marathon winner Ruti Aga, Namibia&rsquo;s world bronze medallist Helalia Johannes and the USA&rsquo;s Olympic bronze medallist Molly Seidel.
Aga and Johannes both join Jepchirchir in having a sub-2:20 PB. Aga, who finished third at the New York City Marathon in 2019, ran 2:18:34 to finish second in Berlin in 2018, while Johannes, who placed 11th in the Tokyo Olympic marathon, has a best of 2:19:52 set when finishing third in last year&rsquo;s Valencia Marathon won by Jepchirchir.
Like her fellow Olympic medallist Jepchirchir, Seidel also makes her New York City Marathon debut, three months after she ran 2:27:46 for bronze in Sapporo. Her PB of 2:25:13 was set in London last year.
Also looking to make an impact will be Ethiopia&rsquo;s former world half marathon record-holder Ababel Yeshaneh, who returns to race in the USA two years after her second-place finish at the Chicago Marathon where she set her PB of 2:20:51.
Joining them in the field are the USA&rsquo;s 2016 New York runner-up Sally Kipyego, Laura Thweatt, Stephanie Bruce and Kellyn Taylor, while Kenya&rsquo;s Viola Cheptoo, the sister of five-time Olympian Bernard Lagat who is part of the broadcast team for the event, makes her marathon debut. 
<h2>Bekele hopes for more history</h2>
He might have three Olympic titles, five world track titles and 11 senior world cross country titles, but Ethiopian running great Bekele is still looking to make history in the sport and next on his list is a win in New York.
His PB of 2:01:41, set when winning the 2019 Berlin Marathon, is just two seconds off Eliud Kipchoge&rsquo;s world record and the 39-year-old says he has recovered well after last racing in Germany&rsquo;s capital city in September.
&ldquo;The race (in Berlin six weeks ago) was a bit tough for me because the day before I couldn&rsquo;t sleep well and I was very tired,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Now I have recovered well.
&ldquo;I know in the New York City Marathon the course is tough, and there are also no pacers in the race. It is about concentration and a tactical race.
&ldquo;The New York City Marathon is a really big race so to achieve a good result would be perfect. It would be good to make more history in the sport.&rdquo; 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/fd7ba7bb-0476-4721-bcb3-4a75f23b8d96.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />
 Another athlete to have already made history is Kenya&rsquo;s Kibiwott Kandie, who became the first to dip under 58 minutes for the half marathon when setting his world record of 57:32 in Valencia last year. Now the 25-year-old, who ran 26:51 for 10km last month, makes his marathon debut.
Looking for another strong run after his silver medal win at the Olympics is Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands, who ran 2:09:58 in Sapporo to finish runner-up to Kipchoge. Also making his New York City Marathon debut, he ran his PB of 2:06:17 when finishing fourth at the 2019 Rotterdam Marathon.
Eritrea&rsquo;s Ghirmay Ghebreslassie is an athlete who does have experience of the event, with the 2015 world champion having won in New York in 2016, while Kenya&rsquo;s Albert Korir and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Girma Bekele Gebre also return after their respective second and third-place finishes in 2019.
Rio 2016 Olympic sixth-place finisher Jared Ward leads the US entries, while Ben True makes his marathon debut.
For 2017 New York City Marathon champion Shalane Flanagan, this year&rsquo;s race marks the end of a six marathons in six weeks challenge that has so far seen her run in Berlin, London, Chicago, Boston and Portland, which was a replacement for Tokyo after the event was held virtually. Her aim has been to dip under three hours for each one and so far she has achieved it, with respective times of 2:38:32, 2:35:04, 2:46:39, 2:40:34 and 2:35:14.
Jess Whittington for World Athletics 
<h3>Elite field</h3>
Women Peres Jepchirchir (KEN)&nbsp;2:17:16 Ruti Aga (ETH) 2:18:34 Helalia Johannes (NAM) 2:19:52 Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 2:20:51 Kellyn Taylor (USA) 2:24:29 Sally Kipyego (USA) 2:25:10 Molly Seidel (USA) 2:25:13 Laura Thweatt (USA) 2:25:38 Andrea Ramirez Limon (MEX) 2:26:34 Haruka Yamaguchi (JPN) 2:26:35 Stephanie Bruce (USA) 2:27:47 Lanni Marchant (CAN) 2:28:00 Krista Duchene (CAN) 2:28:32 Hanna Lindholm (SWE) 2:28:59 Rebecca Gentry (GBR) 2:32:01 Rachel Hannah (CAN) 2:32:09 Lindsey Scherf (USA) 2:32:19 Beverly Ramos (PUR) 2:32:43 Viola Cheptoo (KEN) debut 
Men Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:01:41 Abdi Nageeye (NED) 2:06:17 Ghirmay Ghebreslassie (ERI) 2:07:11 Eyob Faniel (ITA) 2:07:19 Albert Korir (KEN) 2:08:03 Noah Droddy (USA) 2:09:09 Mohamed El Aaraby (MAR) 2:09:16 Jared Ward (USA) 2:09:25 Akira Tomiyasu (JPN) 2:10:29 Thijs Nijhuis (DEN) 2:10:57 Ryan Vail (USA) 2:10:57 Yano Nathan Martin (USA) 2:11:05 Matt Llano (USA) 2:11:14 Patricio Castillo (MEX) 2:11:24 Elkanah Kibet (USA) 2:11:31 Temesgen Habtemariam (ETH) 2:11:42 Shadrack Biwott (USA) 2:12:01 Kevin Lewis (USA) 2:12:02 Urgesa Kedir (ETH) 2:12:20&nbsp; Birhanu Dare (ETH) 2:12:21 Augustine Choge (KEN) debut Kibiwott Kandie (KEN) debut Teshome Mekonen (ETH) debut Ben True (USA) debut

The TCS New York City Marathon returns for its 50th running – a golden celebration. 

Jepchirchir and Bekele go for more glory in New York

It may have been her marathon debut, but Gotytom Gebreslase looked anything but inexperienced on her way to winning the BMW Berlin Marathon, crossing the finish line of the World Athletics Elite Platinum Label road race in 2:20:09 on Sunday (26).
Just moments earlier, fellow Ethiopian Guye Adola won an enthralling tactical men&rsquo;s race in 2:05:45, seeing off a late-race challenge from Kenya&rsquo;s Bethwel Yegon after dropping Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele a few kilometres prior.
The 47th edition of the race, which is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors Series, took place under strict hygiene regulations. With 24,796 runners from 139 nations, the race was the biggest marathon in the world since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
The men had been operating at world record pace for the first half, while the leading women were close to course record pace. With temperatures above 20C during the final part of the race, the pace dropped in the closing stages of both contests, but Gebreslase and Adola both had just enough in reserve to hold on to victory.
Gebreslase was part of a large lead pack that went through 5km in 16:30 and 10km in 33:03. Six women were in the group, including Ethiopia&rsquo;s Hiwot Gebrekidan who was looking to improve on her world-leading 2:19:35 run from Milan earlier in the year.
By the time the pack reached half way in 1:09:19, just four women remained in contention: Gebrekidan, Gebreslase, fellow Ethiopian Helen Tola and Kenya&rsquo;s Fancy Chemutai. Their split suggested a finishing time inside 2:19, but the conditions soon started to get tougher.
Within the space of a few kilometres, Chemutai and Tola had been dropped, reducing the race to a two-woman Ethiopian battle between Gebrekidan and Gebreslase. The latter, feeling surprisingly good on her debut marathon, started to test the water and edged ahead of her compatriot over the next few kilometres, opening up a 13-second gap by 35km, reached in 1:54:54.
Her split at that point still pointed towards a sub-2:19 finish, but Gebreslase&rsquo;s pace dropped significantly over the next five kilometres, which she covered in 17:40. Lucky for her, Gebrekidan was struggling even more, widening the gap between the pair. And Tola was now more than two minutes adrift of Gebrekidan in third.
Gebreslase continued to pull away in the final few kilometres, winning comfortably in 2:20:09, the eighth fastest winning time recorded in Berlin. Gebrekidan held on to second place in 2:21:23 and Tola completed the Ethiopian podium sweep in 2:23:05.
The men&rsquo;s race may not have resulted in a world record as had been hyped in the days leading up to the event, but it eventually became an enthralling three-way contest between Bekele, Adola and Yegon. 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61505cd2c770a48bba075a17.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />
 The opening pace was swift as the six-man lead pack breezed through 5km in 14:22 and 10km in 28:47. Bekele and Adola formed one third of that group, while Yegon bided his time further down the field, passing through 10km in 29:40 as part of the larger chase pack.
Shortly after passing through 15km in 43:12 &ndash; still well inside world record pace &ndash; Bekele started to lose contact with the rest of the lead group, who went on to reach the half-way point in 1:00:48. Bekele, meanwhile, covered the first half in 1:01:00, which was the pre-determined target for the pacemakers.
Over the course of the next five kilometres, though, Bekele worked his way back to the front. The 30km split of 1:27:48 (2:03:30 pace) essentially confirmed that the world record would live to see another day, but the race was shaping up to be a three-way battle between Bekele, Adola and Kenya&rsquo;s Philemon Kacheran.
Kacheran didn&rsquo;t last too much longer in that trio, however, and Bekele started to struggle again as Adola was gritting his teeth out in front. Further behind, however, Yegon continued to make his way through the field. Having been seventh at 20km and sixth at 25km, the Kenyan moved into fourth place at 35km, just 17 seconds behind Adola.
One mile later, Yegon passed Bekele to move into second place. Another kilometre after, he joined Adola at the front. But with the temperature now above 20C, Yegon was unable to maintain that momentum. A final surge from Adola at 40km was enough to see off Yegon&rsquo;s challenge, allowing the Ethiopian to open up a decisive gap.
Adola, the runner-up in 2017, went on to win in 2:05:45 with Yegon following 29 seconds later to take the runner-up spot in a PB of 2:06:14. Bekele was third in 2:06:47.
&ldquo;I thought before the race that I could beat Kenenisa,&rdquo; said Adola, who finished second in Eliud Kipchoge in the German capital four years ago. &ldquo;It was so hot, my feet were burning.&rdquo;
Bekele, meanwhile, appeared slightly disappointed but confirmed there&rsquo;s still more to come from the three-time Olympic gold medallist. &ldquo;The big problem for me was the lack of training because of the pandemic,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I just couldn't do as well as I hoped. That does not mean my career is over.&rdquo;
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
<h2> Leading results</h2>
Women 1 Gotytom Gebreslase (ETH) 2:20:09 2 Hiwot Gebrekidan (ETH) 2:21:23 3 Helen Tola (ETH) 2:23:05 4 Edith Chelimo (KEN) 2:24:33 5 Shure Demise (ETH) 2:24:43 6 Fancy Chemutai (KEN) 2:24:58 7 Izabela Paszkiewicz (POL) 2:27:41 8 Ruth Chebitok (KEN) 2:28:18 9 Rabea Schoneborn (GER) 2:28:49 10 Martina Strahl (SUI) 2:30:37
Men 1 Guye Adola (ETH) 2:05:45 2 Bethwel Yegon (KEN) 2:06:14 3 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:06:47 4 Tadu Abate (ETH) 2:08:24 5 Cosmas Muteti (KEN) 2:08:45 6 Philemon Kacheran (KEN) 2:09:19 7 Okbay Tsegay (ERI) 2:10:37 8 Bernard Kimeli (KEN) 2:10:50 9 Hidekazu Hijikata (JPN) 2:11:47 10 Hosea Kipkemboi (KEN) 2:12:25

Gotytom Gebreslase (2:20:09) and Guye Adola (2:05:45) secure Ethiopian double

Debutante Gebreslase and Adola triumph in Berlin

Ethiopian long distance superstar Kenenisa Bekele will defend his BMW Berlin Marathon title on Sunday (26) in what will be his fourth appearance at the World Athletics Elite Platinum Label road race.
Two years ago he ran through the Brandenburg Gate on his way to an Ethiopian record of 2:01:41, a mere two seconds outside Eliud Kipchoge&rsquo;s world record set on the same course just one year prior. Thanks to that performance, Bekele remains the second fastest marathon runner of all time and heads Berlin&rsquo;s elite field for this Sunday.
Although the 39-year-old made no concrete mention of a world record attempt at Friday&rsquo;s press conference, there were signs that he had the target on his mind.
Eleven marathon world records have been set in Berlin so far, more than at any other race. Could Bekele make it a round dozen on Sunday?
&ldquo;I have prepared well, but the pandemic hasn&rsquo;t made it easy in the last two years,&rdquo; said Bekele. Asked about the difference with his 2019 race in Berlin where he went so close to the world record, the three-time Olympic gold medallist said: &ldquo;At the time it wasn&rsquo;t clear whether I could run that fast. This time I have more confidence and will do my best.
&ldquo;Sunday may not be my last chance of the world record, I want to run a couple of years more,&rdquo; added the 39-year-old, who won the 2016 Berlin title in 2:03:03, only six seconds outside the then world record. The next year he had to drop out. 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/614dd5c63c414d0b16520e59.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />
 This Sunday offers Bekele arguably his best chance of breaking the world record, which is a view shared by his Dutch manager Jos Hermens. &ldquo;Kenenisa has energy and the ability to be right up front at over 40,&rdquo; said Hermens. &ldquo;But Sunday&rsquo;s race will be his best chance of a world record.&rdquo;
The race is about more than one man, though, as the field includes 10 men with sub-2:10 PBs. &ldquo;We have connected almost seamlessly with where we had our last race in 2019,&rdquo; said race director Mark Milde. &ldquo;Naturally we are delighted that we have been able to recruit a very strong field with Kenenisa Bekele at the top.&rdquo;
Bekele&rsquo;s compatriots Guye Adola and Olika Adugna could also produce impressive results. Adola famously stuck with Kipchoge until the very last stages of the 2017 Berlin Marathon, eventually finishing second in 2:03:46 &ndash; a time which, at that point, was the fastest marathon debut in history.
&ldquo;I want to be among the leading group on Sunday,&rdquo; said Adola, the 2014 world half marathon bronze medallist.
Adugna, meanwhile, also produced a notable performance on his marathon debut, clocking 2:06:15 in Dubai last year. The 22-year-old hasn&rsquo;t raced since then, so will be raring to go on Sunday. 
<h2>Gebrekidan sets sights on course record</h2>
An attack on the women&rsquo;s course record &ndash; which currently stands to Gladys Cherono at 2:18:11 &ndash; is looking increasingly likely in Berlin on Sunday.
Three women with sub-2:22 PBs will take to the startline, including world leader Hiwot Gebrekidan of Ethiopia, who clocked a PB of 2:19:35 in Milan in May.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been preparing for the BMW Berlin Marathon for a long time and want to run my personal best on Sunday,&rdquo; said the 26-year-old, who will be contesting her first ever World Marathon Majors race. 
<img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/614dd5f23c414d0b16520e5c.jpg" alt="" width="100%" />
 When pressed as to what pace she would like, Gebrekidan said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;d actually like to hold back in the first half. But I nevertheless plan to go through halfway in just under 69 minutes.&rdquo;
Such a split at halfway would put Gebrekidan not only in contention for the course record but also the Ethiopian record, currently held by Worknesh Degefa with her time of 2:17:41 in Dubai in 2019.
Fellow Ethiopian Shure Demise also has a personal best in her sights. She is a highly experienced marathon runner, having run a dozen of them. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve spoken with other women runners and know what a fast course is Berlin. I have high expectations for myself and want to break my personal record,&rdquo; said Demise, whose best currently stands at 2:20:59 and could well go under 2:20 for the first time.
&ldquo;2:20 remains a breakthrough target for women in the marathon,&rdquo; said race director Mark Milde. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ll have to wait and see what times are actually run. But a pace like that (69 minutes at half way) would certainly suit us. And a course record would be great.&rdquo;
Fancy Chemutai, a late addition to the field, also has high hopes for Sunday&rsquo;s race. The Kenyan has a best of 2:24:27 and will be running only her second marathon. Her half marathon best of 1:04:52 &ndash; which makes her the seventh fastest woman of all time &ndash; suggests she still has a lot of untapped potential at the full marathon distance. No other woman on the Berlin start list has such a fast half marathon performance.
Gotytom Gebreslase could be another one to watch on Sunday. The Ethiopian, who won the world U18 3000m title back in 2011, will be making her marathon debut. Given her PBs of 1:07:52 for the half marathon and 14:57.33 for 5000m, the 26-year-old could be in contention for a podium place.
About 25,000 runners from 139 countries are expected to take part in the 47th edition of the Berlin Marathon. Although more than 90% of participants have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, the race will take place under strict hygiene regulations.
&ldquo;For months our challenge has been to organise a safe BMW Berlin Marathon, and we&rsquo;ve achieved our objective,&rdquo; said J&uuml;rgen Lock, the general manager of race organiser SCC Events. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a very good feeling; we&rsquo;ve arrived at the new reality.&rdquo;
Organisers for World Athletics 
<h2>Elite fields</h2>
Women Hiwot Gebrekidan (ETH) 2:19:35 Shure Demise (ETH) 2:20:59 Helen Tola (ETH) 2:21:01 Ruth Chebitok (KEN) 2:23:29 Bethelhem Moges (ETH) 2:23:38 Fancy Chemutai (KEN) 2:24:27 Rabea Sch&ouml;neborn (GER) 2:27:03 Iwona Bernardelli (POL) 2:27:47 Martina Str&auml;hl (SUI) 2:28:07 Izabela Paszkiewicz (POL) 2:28:12 Grace Momanyi (KEN) 2.28:18 Hanna Lindholm (SWE) 2:28:59 Edith Chelimo (KEN) 2:29:03 Beatie Deutsch (ISR) 2:31:39 Martha Akeno (KEN) 2:33:25 Nora Szabo (HUN) 2:35:00 Gotytom Gebreslase (ETH) debut
Men Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:01:41 Guye Adola (ETH) 2:03:36 Philemon Kacheran (KEN) 2:06:05 Festus Talam (KEN) 2:06:13 Tadu Abate (ETH) 2:06:13 Olika Adugna (ETH) 2:06:15 Tesfaye Lencho (ETH) 2:06:18 Hidekazu Hijikata (JPN) 2:06:26 Michael Njenga (KEN) 2:06:43 Okubay Tsegay (ERI) 2:06:46 Josphat Boit (KEN) 2:07:20 Kazuki Muramoto (JPN) 2:07:36 Taku Fujimoto (JPN) 2:07:57 Bethwel Yegon (KEN) 2:08:35 Weldu Gebretsadik (NOR) 2:09:14 Yimer Getahun (ISR) 2:09:27 Melkam Jamber (ISR) 2:09:51 Kamil Karbowiak (POL) 2:10:35 Hosea Kipkemboi (KEN) 2:10:40 Getaye Gelaw (ETH) 2:11:03 Blazey Brzezinski (POL) 2:11:27 Philipp Pflieger (GER) 2:12:15 &Ouml;mer Alkanoglu (TUR) 2:12:15 Adrian Lehmann (SUI) 2:12:34 Christian Vasconez (ECU) 2:12:50 Benard Kimeli (KEN) debut Abraham Kipyatich (KEN) debut William Wanjiku (KEN) debut

Ethiopian long distance superstar Kenenisa Bekele will defend his BMW Berlin Marathon title on Sunday (26) in what will be his fourth appearance at the World Athletics Elite Platinum Label road race.

Bekele back in Berlin and targeting third triumph

Ethiopian distance legend Kenenisa Bekele will pursue a third BMW Berlin Marathon victory when he returns to the World Athletics Platinum Elite Label road race on 26 September.
The multiple world and Olympic champion first won in Berlin in 2016, setting what was then an Ethiopian record of 2:03:03. He returned in 2019 and won in 2:01:41, reclaiming the Ethiopian record and coming within two seconds of Eliud Kipchoge&rsquo;s world record.
He has raced just once since then, winning at the Big Half in London in 1:00:22 last year. But despite his recent relative lack of racing, he is confident of producing another memorable run in Berlin.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll head back to the BMW Berlin Marathon with good energy and motivation,&rdquo; said Bekele, who won the 2009 world 5000m and 10,000m titles in the German capital. &ldquo;My last race in Berlin motivated me a lot, so I hope I will fulfil my plan this year.&rdquo;
Organisers for World Athletics

Ethiopian distance legend Kenenisa Bekele will pursue a third Berlin victory

Bekele confirmed for Berlin Marathon

Organisers of the Virgin Money London Marathon have confirmed the full elite fields for the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Sunday 4 October.
The elite men&rsquo;s race &ndash; headlined by the greatest marathon runners in history, Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele &ndash; will include eight athletes who have run sub 2:05 marathons, including Mosinet Geremew and Mule Wasihun, who were second and third respectively at the 2019 London Marathon.
Sisay Lemma, Tamirat Tola, Marius Kipserem and Shura Kitata are the other men to have run inside 2:05 while former European record-holder Sondre Nordstad Moen is also included.
The elite women&rsquo;s field is headlined by world record holder Brigid Kosgei. She will face five other women who have run inside 2:20: world champion Ruth Chepngetich, 2018 London Marathon champion Vivian Cheruiyot, 2019 Valencia Marathon champion Roza Dereje, 2019 Frankfurt Marathon winner Valary Jemeli and 2019 Amsterdam Marathon champion Degitu Azimeraw.
Ashete Bekere, the winner of last year&rsquo;s Berlin Marathon, 2019 Rome Marathon champion Alemu Megertu, USA&rsquo;s Sara Hall and Australia&rsquo;s Sinead Diver are also included in a star-studded race.
The news that World Athletics will lift its suspension of the Olympic qualification system for marathon races from 1 September means there will also be a clutch of athletes &ndash; paced by four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah &ndash; racing with the ambition to achieve the Olympic standard of 2:11:30.
At present only two British athletes other than Farah have run inside this time: Callum Hawkins, who has been pre-selected for the Olympic Games marathon, and Jonny Mellor who ran 2:10:03 in Seville in January. Farah himself has opted to run on the track at the Olympic Games.
Mellor is one of a number of British athletes running the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon. Other British men joining Mellor on the start line are Chris Thompson and debutants Ross Millington and Ben Connor.
Among the leading domestic women confirmed to race are Steph Twell, who ran a PB of 2:26:40 in Frankfurt last year to go sixth on the British all-time list, and 2018 British marathon champion Lily Partridge.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the elite races at the 2020 London Marathon will be held on a closed-loop circuit around St James&rsquo;s Park in central London with the iconic finish on The Mall remaining the same as in previous years.
The races will be held in a secure biosphere as has been the case with other major sporting events such as Test Cricket and Formula 1. No spectators will be allowed on the road-side to watch. BBC Sport, however, is planning eight hours of live coverage of the event.
It will be the 40th race in London Marathon history and the first to have elite-only races.
Organisers for World Athletics
<h3>Elite fields</h3>
Men Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:01:39 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:01:41 Mosinet Geremew (ETH) 2:02:55 Mule Wasihun (ETH) 2:03:16 Sisay Lemma (ETH) 2:03:36 Tamirat Tola (ETH) 2:04:06 Marius Kipserem (KEN) 2:04:11 Shura Kitata (ETH) 2:04:49 Vincent Kipchumba (KEN) 2:05:09 Sondre Nordstad Moen (NOR) 2:05:48 Gideon Kipketer (KEN) 2:05:51 Polat Kemboi Arikan (TUR) 2:08:14 Arne Gabius (GER) 2:08:33 Jared Ward (USA) 2:09:25 Jonny Mellor (GBR) 2:10:03 Elroy Gelant (RSA) 2:10:31 Daniele Meucci (ITA) 2:10:45 Brett Robinson (AUS) 2:10:55 Juan Luis Barrios (MEX) 2:10:55 Peter Herzog (AUT) 2:10:57 Jack Rayner (AUS) 2:11:06 Chris Thompson (GBR) 2:11:19 Stephen Scullion (IRL) 2:11:52 Remigijus Kancys (LTU) 2:12:50 Florian Carvalho (FRA) 2:12:53 Tristan Woodfine (CAN) 2:13:16 Michael Clohisey (IRL) 2:13:19 Ben Connor (GBR) debut
Women Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:14:04 Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 2:17:08 Roza Dereje (ETH) 2:18:30 Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 2:18:31 Valary Jemeli (KEN) 2:19:10 Degitu Azimeraw (ETH) 2:19:26 Ashete Bekere (ETH) 2:20:14 Alemu Megertu (ETH) 2:21:10 Sara Hall (USA) 2:22:16 Sinead Diver (AUS) 2:24:11 Carla Salome Rocha (POR) 2:24:47 Ellie Pashley (AUS) 2:26:21 Sara Caterina Ribeiro (POR) 2:26:39 Steph Twell (GBR) 2:26:40 Anna Hahner (GER) 2:26:44 Molly Seidel (USA) 2:27:31 Gerda Steyn (RSA) 2:27:48 Darya Mykhaylova (UKR) 2:28:15 Lisa Hahner (GER) 2:28:39 Lily Partridge (GBR) 2:29:24 Tracy Barlow (GBR) 2:30:42 Natasha Cockram (GBR) 2:30:49 Risper Gesabwa (MEX) 2:30:59 Tish Jones (GBR) 2:31:00 Monika Bytautiene (LTU) 2:32:28 Edith Chelimo (KEN) debut

Organisers of the Virgin Money London Marathon have confirmed the full elite fields for the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Sunday 4 October.

Star-studded fields confirmed for 2020 London Marathon

Described as one of the greatest comebacks in athletics history, Kenenisa Bekele&rsquo;s astonishing victory in September&rsquo;s Berlin Marathon in 2:01:41 &ndash; within two seconds of the world record - sent shockwaves through the athletics world.
After years of injury struggles, which can be traced back to a calf rupture in 2010, the Ethiopian has toiled during a stop-start marathon career.
After making a promising winning marathon debut in Paris in 2014 (2:05:04) and giving a glimpse of his outrageous potential with a 2:03:03 clocking to win the Berlin Marathon in 2016 &ndash; at the time the second fastest performance in history &ndash; his career up until September&rsquo;s Berlin Marathon was in serious danger of being terminally derailed.
Since a second place finish in London in 2017 Bekele has finished only one marathon &ndash; when placing sixth in 2:08:53 in London the following year.
<h3>Hermens support unwaning</h3>
Many dismissed the three-time Olympic champion and world 5000m and 10,000m record holder as yesterday&rsquo;s man. A great athlete, but one simply unable to produce his best after suffering a catalogue of injuries to ankle, calf, Achilles tendon, back, hips, hamstring and foot.
Yet one person never gave up hope or belief - long-time manager Jos Hermens.
&nbsp;
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Kenenisa Bekele prepares for the 2018 London Marathon</div>
&nbsp;
And earlier this year Hermens and his team at Global Sports Communication sought a solution to enable Bekele to once again flourish.
&ldquo;His life in Ethiopia is very busy and maybe this wasn&rsquo;t always the best way of ensuring the adequate rest and recovery between sessions,&rdquo; explains Hermens. &ldquo;He is a businessman and, understandably, felt responsible for those businesses. His children mean the world to him and he wants to be the best father and family man he can be. But this sometimes meant he was juggling too many balls with not enough rest in his life.
<h3>Temporary relocation pre-Berlin</h3>
&ldquo;We said to Kenenisa: &lsquo;If you keep doing what you are doing you will have the same results. We have to try and change things. Why don&rsquo;t you spent two months based out of Nijmegen (where the Global Sports Communication offices are based) where you will receive the best medical treatment and can be closely monitored?&rsquo;&rdquo;
It was not an easy decision, but Bekele opted to leave his family behind and spend two months in the Dutch city.
&ldquo;Things are not easy for me,&rdquo; explains Kenenisa.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not a 20-year-old anymore,&rdquo; he adds. &ldquo;My body and training require a different approach. But I still wanted to run a top-quality marathon before I retired. I&rsquo;m very serious. I&rsquo;m following my team&rsquo;s advice and doing my very best.&rdquo;
The persistent injury issues were the primary concern and such were the nature of his ongoing issues they had created a serious body imbalance.
From the moment Kenenisa arrived in Nimegen, the renowned Dutch physio, Peter Eemers, started working on his ankle and hips to rectify the problem. Bekele was given specific gym exercises and his physical well-being was scrupulously monitored.
<h3>A return to better quality training</h3>
In conjunction with the body strengthening programme, he was also put on a specific nutritional programme with the help of leading Dutch sports nutritional professional Armand Bettonviel.
Bekele had arrived in Nijmegen overweight but with each meal diligently prepared he slowly shed the pounds.
&ldquo;Back home in Ethiopia, Kenenisa couldn&rsquo;t get his weight quite right,&rdquo; explains Hermens. &ldquo;He was eating restaurant food from his hotel in Addis, but this isn&rsquo;t the best food for an athlete.
&ldquo;Armand gave him a diet of simple, plain food, which included proteins, rice and potatoes, vegetables and high-fibre food with support from our partner, Daily Fresh Food.
&ldquo;Kenenisa gave daily feedback, what he liked and what he didn&rsquo;t. If he ate too little, we would assess whether this would then have an effect on his training and make the necessary adjustments.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
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Kenenisa Bekele prepares for the 2018 London Marathon</div>
&nbsp;
With his weight under control and the injuries at bay, the emphasis was placed on a strict training programme.
Increasing his weekly mileage from a modest 45km a week to 150km during his two months in Nijmegen, he ended his stint there in good shape and set him on the right road to Berlin.
&ldquo;Kenenisa&rsquo;s time here went far better than we had hoped, and this not only reflects his incredible physical talent but also his mental toughness,&rdquo; explains Hermens. &ldquo;It was not easy for Kenenisa to make that move from Addis to Nijmegen but it was a joy to watch him develop and return to his old physique and unparalleled running style.&rdquo;
Back in Addis Ababa he continued to apply the principles he picked up in Nijmegen. He successfully maintained the correct balance of treatment and nutrition and having previously trained on his own under the coaching regime of Mersha Asrat he made the significant move to train with a world-class training group which included world marathon champion Lelisa Desisa. Still operating under Asrat&rsquo;s guidance, Bekele benefited from training each day with top-quality athletes.
&ldquo;Unlike in Nijmegen, Kenenisa was training one again at altitude in Ethiopia,&rdquo; Hermens said. &ldquo;The weather conditions were a bit problematic in Addis because of the rainy season, so we had to be flexible sometimes with training times.&rdquo;
<h3>Renewed confidence</h3>
Leading into the Berlin, Kenenisa was in great shape and ready to run fast.
&ldquo;We knew he was good because of what he showed in training. He was running &lsquo;Kenenisa-style&rsquo; once more with a strong gait. You can see and feel it when an athlete is confident and in the right mindset.
&ldquo;I knew he would want to win the race no matter what, and he was determined to show everybody that he is still the best athlete. When Kenenisa is confident and has his mind set on a goal, he is unbelievably strong.&rdquo;
After delivering spectacularly in Berlin with the second fastest time in history and within just two seconds of Eliud Kipchoge&rsquo;s world record, the question is: what next?
&ldquo;If you look at the mileage and the quality of training he ran 2:01:41 with minimal preparation,&rdquo; explains Hermens of Berlin. &ldquo;Which makes you think what could happen in future if he keeps on track with his training.&rdquo;
Steve Landells for the IAAF

Described as one of the greatest comebacks in athletics history, Kenenisa Bekele’s astonishing victory in September’s Berlin Marathon in 2:01:41 – within two seconds of the world record - sent shockwaves through the athletics world.

After marathon world record near-miss, Bekele signals there’s more to come

Kenenisa Bekele scorched to a stunning 2:01:41 victory at the BMW Berlin Marathon today (29), the second fastest performance of the all-time.
The victory capped a sensational comeback for the 37-year-old star, who had been struggling with knee and hamstring injuries in recent years. Bekele missed the world record by six seconds when winning at the IAAF Gold Label road race in 2016, and this time came up just two seconds short of the 2:01:39 record set by Eliud Kipchoge last year. But the Ethiopian, who has held the world records over 5000 and 10,000m since 2004 and 2005, respectively, hadn't finished a marathon since April of last year, suggesting his best days over the distance were already behind him.
Bekele lost ground on compatriots Birhanu Legese and Sisay Lemma after the half, at one stage falling 13 seconds behind. But propelled by a long sustained surge, he began to work on the deficit by the 35th kilometre. He passed Legese in the 38th kilometre as he fought his way back on world record pace, reaching kilometre 40 in 1:55:30, two seconds better than Kipchoge last year. Their furious sprints towards the German capital's iconic Brandenburg Gate proved to be the difference.
Coming so close, Bekele said, is more encouraging that frustrating. "I know I can still run a very good marathon and I won&rsquo;t give up." That was amply illustrated by a 1:00:36 second half.
Legesse was second in 2:02:48 to become the third fastest of all-time. Lemma finished third in 2:03:36 to end the day at No. 10 on the all-time list.
The women's contest was much closer, which came down to a sprint over the final few hundred metres. That was when Ashete Bekere unleashed her sprint to pull away from fellow Ethiopian Mare Dibaba to win 2:20:14 to 2:20:21.
Kenya&rsquo;s Sally Chepyego was third, clocking 2:21:06.
Further back, German fans were pleased with Melat Kejeta, who finished sixth in her debut over the distance in 2:23:57.
Three-time winner Gladys Cherono was never a factor, and dropped out at around the 30th kilometre.
Organisers and Bob Ramsak for the IAAF

Kenenisa Bekele scorched to a stunning 2:01:41 victory at the BMW Berlin Marathon today (29), the second fastest performance of the all-time.

Bekele clocks 2:01:41 in Berlin, second fastest marathon ever

Organisers of the BMW Berlin Marathon have announced that Kenenisa Bekele has joined a loaded men&rsquo;s field for the IAAF Gold Label road race on 29 September.
Bekele is one of the greatest distance runners of all time. Along with his three Olympic gold medals, he has amassed 17 world titles on the track, indoors and outdoors, and cross country. His world records for 5000m and 10,000m have stood for 15 years.
He stepped up to the marathon in 2014 and set a course record of 2:05:04 in Paris on his debut at the distance. He set a personal best of 2:03:03 &ndash; which, at the time, was an Ethiopian record and just six seconds off the then world record &ndash; when winning the Berlin Marathon in 2016.
On 29 September he will line up against compatriots Guye Adola, Leul Gebrselassie, Sisay Lemma and Birhanu Legese in what looks set to be another memorable race in the German capital.
Organisers for the IAAF

Organisers of the BMW Berlin Marathon have announced that Kenenisa Bekele has joined a loaded men’s field for the IAAF Gold Label road race on 29 September.

Bekele added to Berlin Marathon field

During an illustrious career, the Ethiopian endurance running great has bagged three Olympic and 17 senior world titles. The world 5000m and 10,000m record-holder takes time out to chat to his younger self.
&nbsp;
Young Kenenisa,
From an early stage of your athletics development, you acknowledged the importance of discipline. Continue to listen to your coaches, remain focused, and this will help you enjoy many great successes.
Not many athletes will achieve what you did on the global stage at such a young age. Your career will evolve into one of the greatest in history. You will win three Olympic gold medals and five outdoor world titles on the track. You will set world 5000m and 10,000m records and, looking in from the outside, many might assume you would change very little.
However, young Kenenisa: you do not always train perfectly. Sometimes you will undertrain and you may not always have access to the best physiotherapy. These may prove crucial in achieving your career goals.&nbsp; 
Oh, and on the subject of physio. Try to look after your body. You may feel bulletproof &ndash; especially during some of your greatest triumphs &ndash; but ignoring physiotherapy will create problems in the aftermath, especially during your marathon career. Injuries can &ndash; and will &ndash; cause huge frustration. 
During times when you struggle with injury, you may feel despondent and demotivated. You may not always be fully committed to carrying out the correct rehab exercises. But this will only make the marathon an even more difficult event to master.&nbsp; 
Maintaining fitness levels and full health as an athlete in your mid-30s will be hard. But don&rsquo;t give up. Stick with it and aim to sign off your career on a high.
Listen to your body and make the necessary sacrifices. If you do that, you can fulfil your marathon potential and finish your career with a flourish.
Kenenisa
&nbsp;
Steve Landells for the IAAF

During an illustrious career, the Ethiopian endurance running great has bagged three Olympic and 17 senior world titles. The world 5000m and 10,000m record-holder takes time out to chat to his younger self.

Advice to my younger self: Kenenisa Bekele

Organisers of the Tokyo Marathon have revealed the elite fields for the IAAF Gold Label road race in the Japanese capital on 3 March.
Multiple world and Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele heads the men&rsquo;s field. The Ethiopian set a national record of 2:03:03 when winning the 2016 Berlin Marathon, but he has struggled in some of his races since then. He failed in finish in Dubai in 2017 but rebounded to finish second in London in 2:05:57 three months later.
He then withdrew from the Berlin Marathon later that year before returning to action at the 2018 London Marathon, where he finished sixth in 2:08:53, but recorded another 'DNF' at the Amsterdam Marathon in October 2018.
Bekele&rsquo;s last race in Japan was at the 2007 IAAF World Championships in Osaka, where he won the 10,000m &ndash; one of his six global titles at the distance.
He is one of five men in the field with PBs faster than 2:05. Fellow Ethiopian Birhanu Legesse ran 2:04:15 in Dubai on his debut at the distance last year and will contest his third career marathon in Tokyo.
Dickson Chumba, the Tokyo Marathon winner in 2014 and 2018, will defend his title. The Kenyan, who has a lifetime best of 2:04:32, finished inside 2:05 in both of his Tokyo victories. He also finished third at the 2015, 2016 and 2017 editions of the race.
Bahrain&rsquo;s Asian record-holder El Hassan El Abbassi and Ethiopia&rsquo;s Seifu Tura, both of whom recorded their sub-2:05 lifetime bests last year, are also in the field.
Most of the local fans, however, will be focused on Suguru Osako, who broke the Japanese record when finishing third at the Chicago Marathon last year in 2:05:50.
Two sets of pacemakers are planned for the men&rsquo;s race. The first set will aim for 2:57-2:58/km pace until 30 kilometres, targeting a finishing time in the region of 2:04:30 to 2:05:10. The second set will run at 3:00/km pace with a target finishing time of about 2:06:35.
Ruti Aga is the fastest runner in the women&rsquo;s field. The Ethiopian, who has achieved podium finishes at the Berlin Marathon for the past three years, set a lifetime best of 2:18:34 in the German capital last year to move to sixth on the world all-time list.
Three other women in the Tokyo field have sub-2:20 PBs: Ethiopian duo Feyse Boru Tadese and Yebrgual Melese plus Kenya&rsquo;s former world half marathon record-holder Florence Kiplagat.
World marathon champion Rose Chelimo is also in the line-up, but such is the quality of the field, her PB of 2:22:51 makes her just the ninth fastest woman on the start list.
Kenya&rsquo;s Joan Melly Chelimo, who last year went to fourth on the world all-time list with her 1:05:04 run at the Prague Half Marathon, will make her marathon debut in Tokyo.
&ldquo;With the Tokyo Olympics just around the corner, elite runners are gathering in Tokyo to experience the Olympic course,&rdquo; said race director Tad Hayano. &ldquo;It is exciting to see the world-class competitions. If Osako and his Japanese rivals come close to the national record, it will add to the excitement.&rdquo;
<h3>Elite field</h3>
Men Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:03:03 Birhanu Legese (ETH) 2:04:15 Dickson Chumba (KEN) 2:04:32 El Hassan El Abbassi (BRN) 2:04:43 Seifu Tura (ETH) 2:04:44 Nobert Kigen (KEN) 2:05:13 Suguru Osako (JPN) 2:05:50 Gideon Kipketer (KEN) 2:05:51 Marius Kipserem (KEN) 2:06:11 Deme Tadu Abate (ETH) 2:06:47 Bedan Karoki (KEN) 2:07:41 Ryo Kiname (JPN) 2:08:08 Shogo Nakamura (JPN) 2:08:16 Yuki Sato (JPN) 2:08:58 Kenta Murayama (JPN) 2:09:50 Jo Fukuda (JPN) 2:09:52 Shohei Otsuka (JPN) 2:10:12 Daichi Kamino (JPN) 2:10:18
Women Ruti Aga (ETH) 2:18:34 Feyse Boru Tadese (ETH) 2:19:30 Yebrgual Melese (ETH) 2:19:36 Florence Kiplagat (KEN) 2:19:44 Shure Demise (ETH) 2:20:59 Bedatu Hirpa (ETH) 2:21:32 Mimi Belete (BRN) 2:22:29 Helen Tola (ETH) 2:22:48 Rose Chelimo (BRN) 2:22:51 Ruth Chebitok (KEN) 2:23:29 Honami Maeda (JPN) 2:23:48 Yuka Takashima (JPN) 2:26:13 Keiko Nogami (JPN) 2:26:33 Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 2:33:10 Joan Chelimo Melly (KEN) debut Mao Ichiyama (JPN) debut

Organisers of the Tokyo Marathon have revealed the elite fields for the IAAF Gold Label road race in the Japanese capital on 3 March.

Bekele and Aga lead elite fields for Tokyo Marathon

Two of the greatest distance runners on the track will aim to make their mark on the roads at the TCS Amsterdam Marathon when they line up for the IAAF Gold Label road race on Sunday (21).
Multiple world and Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele takes on defending champion and course record-holder Lawrence Cherono in the men&rsquo;s race, while fellow Ethiopian Meseret Defar, the 2004 and 2012 Olympic 5000m champion, will make her marathon debut.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a beautiful mix between a broad international and national top field,&rdquo; said race director Cees Pronk at the pre-event press conference at the Dutch Royal Theatre Carr&eacute; on Thursday (18).
<h3>Bekele targets course record</h3>
Bekele, who still holds the world records for 5000m (12:37.35) and 10,000m (26:17.53), currently sits at third on the world all-time list for the marathon with his 2:03:03 clocking from the 2016 Berlin Marathon. But the 36-year-old feels he hasn&rsquo;t yet reached his potential for the classic distance.
&ldquo;I haven&rsquo;t shown yet in the marathon what I am capable of,&rdquo; he said at the press conference. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never experienced a marathon preparation without small injuries or inconveniences. I have never had an optimal marathon.
&ldquo;I always knew someone could run 2:01 in marathon,&rdquo; he added of the world record (pending ratification) set by Eliud Kipchoge at last month&rsquo;s Berlin Marathon. &ldquo;Eliud Kipchoge motivates me enormously. And at 36 I'm certainly not too old; I think marathon runners can still be at their best up to their 40s. At the same time, the marathon is difficult. It&rsquo;s a matter of body and mind.&rdquo;
Bekele has contested eight marathons to date. He ran 2:05:04 on his debut in 2014 to win the Paris Marathon, then finished fourth in Chicago later that year and third in London in 2016 before setting his PB in Berlin a few months later.
The past couple of years have been more erratic as he failed to finish in Dubai at the start of 2017 but rebounded in London to finish second. Another DNF followed in Berlin later that year, but he managed to finish in London earlier this year to place sixth in 2:08:53.
This weekend&rsquo;s race will be his first 26.2-miler in the Netherlands.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never participated here before, but I know Rotterdam and of course Hengelo, where I set my 5000m world record in 2004,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;On Sunday I want to challenge the others and break the course record. It is a flat course so it can be fast. And last year&rsquo;s race showed it is fast indeed.&rdquo;
In 2017 Cherono clocked 2:05:09 to take 12 seconds off the course record. The Kenyan finished one place behind Bekele in London earlier this year but feels he can get the better of the Ethiopian on the streets of Amsterdam.
&ldquo;I want to break my personal best which I ran here in Amsterdam last year,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m ready for it.&rdquo;
Three other men in the field have PBs faster than 2:06: Ethiopia&rsquo;s Mule Wasihun, Kenya&rsquo;s Gideon Kipketer and Laban Korir. Solomon Deksisa&rsquo;s PB is slightly slower at 2:06:22, but the Kenyan is undefeated at the marathon this year, having won in Mumbai and Hamburg.
The past nine editions of the race have been won in times faster than 2:07. Of those, six were inside 2:06.
<h3>Defar ready for second chapter</h3>
Having won numerous global medals on the track across a span of 12 years, Defar is ready to prove herself on a new surface.
&ldquo;Now it's time for chapter two in my career: the road races,&rdquo; said Defar, winner of four successive world indoor 3000m titles between 2004 and 2010 as well as the 2007 and 2013 outdoor world 5000m titles. &ldquo;Chapter one was the ending of my track career, chapter two is starting on the road.&rdquo;
Defar has already produced some notable performances on the roads, including a 10km best of 31:14 and a half marathon PB (on a record-eligible course) of 1:07:25. She had originally intended to make her marathon debut in Tokyo earlier this year, but an injury prevented her from making it to the start line.
&ldquo;I have trained very well, but I have no idea what a marathon will do to me,&rdquo; said the 34-year-old. &ldquo;Training for the marathon is very difficult &ndash; like the marathon itself, I guess.&rdquo;
Tadelech Bekele, who won last year in 2:21:54 and improved to 2:21:40 to finish third in London six months ago, will defend her title. Bahrain&rsquo;s Desi Jisa, who ran 2:24:05 on her marathon debut in Dubai earlier this year and finished seventh at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships Valencia 2018, is also expected to be a contender.
The race record of 2:21:09 was set in 2012 by Ethiopia&rsquo;s Meseret Hailu.
As will be the case up to and including 2022, the Amsterdam Marathon will incorporate the Dutch championships for the distance.
Michel Butter, who set his personal best of 2:09:58 at the 2012 edition of this race, will start as the favourite in the men&rsquo;s race. Instead of targeting a fast time, he will focus on racing for the national title alongside five other Dutch athletes with PBs faster than 2:20. Miranda Boonstra, now 46, will is the pre-race favourite for the women&rsquo;s title.
The marathon, which starts and finishes in Amsterdam&rsquo;s Olympic Stadium, will be the main focus of the events taking place in the Dutch capital this weekend. The race starts at 9:30am local time and the weather forecast predicts a temperature of 15C with a slight southwestern wind. Combined with other distances, 60,000 runners are expected to take to the streets of Amsterdam.
Eric Roeske for the IAAF

Two of the greatest distance runners on the track will aim to make their mark on the roads at the TCS Amsterdam Marathon when they line up for the IAAF Gold Label road race on Sunday (21).