NEW YORK, September 11-World marathon record holder, Wilson Kipsang, will make his New York debut as the banner act of the stacked men’s field for the November 2 showdown organisers confirmed Thursday.
The Kenyan charge will also be felt forcefully in the women’s competition with two-time World Champion, Edna Kiplagat and the recently returned former London winner, Mary Keitany, squaring off once again across the five boroughs of the Big Apple city.
Kipsang will line up against three former champions: previously announced course record-holder Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya (2011, 2013), Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia (2010) and local star Meb Keflezighi (2009) also named earlier for the IAAF Gold Label race that is the finale of the 2013-14 World Marathon Majors competition.
Kiplagat, a winner in New York in 2010, will be up against three other former champions: titleholder Priscah Jeptoo (2013), Firehiwot Dado of Ethiopia (2011) and Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia (2005, 2006) as well as last year’s runner-up Bizunesh Deba and African record-holder Keitany.
Kipsang, 32, of Kenya, arguably the world’s best marathon runner, rewrote history when he set the current marathon world record of 2:03:23 to win the 2013 Berlin Marathon. The Olympic bronze medallist has run faster than 2:05 five times, the most in history.
He won his second London Marathon title in 2014 in a course record of 2:04:29 after narrowly missing the record at the 2012 event by four seconds with his time of 2:04:44. He is also a two-time winner at the Frankfurt Marathon.
“I’m ‘getting my New York on!’” said Kipsang, who will make his first return to the city since winning the 2013 NYC Half.
“My preparations for the New York City Marathon have begun, and every day before training I know that without self-discipline, success is impossible.”
In addition to Kipsang and past New York City Marathon champions Mutai and Gebremariam, the men’s international field, representing 17 countries, will feature world and Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda, London Marathon runner-up Stanley Biwott and former 10km world record-holder Micah Kogo among others.
Others in the women’s field include world silver medallist Valeria Straneo of Italy, 2012 European 10,000m champion Ana Dulce Felix of Portugal and 2013 European indoor 3000m champion Sara Moreira, also of Portugal.
“This year’s international field of past New York City Marathon champions, record-setters, and global championship medallists echoes the aspirational spirit of the TCS New York City Marathon,” said Mary Wittenberg, president and CEO of New York Road Runners.
Elite field (with PBs)
MEN
Wilson Kipsang (KEN) 2:03:23
Geoffrey Mutai (KEN) 2:04:15 / 2:03:02
Gebre Gebremariam (ETH) 2:04:53
Stanley Biwott (KEN) 2:04:55
Peter Cheruiyot Kirui (KEN) 2:06:31
Michael Kipyego (KEN) 2:06:48
Micah Kogo (KEN) 2:06:56
Stephen Kiprotich (UGA) 2:07:20
Abderrahime Bouramdane (MAR) 2:07:33
Yuki Kawauchi (JPN) 2:08:14
Luspaho April (RSA) 2:08:32
Urige Buta (NOR) 2:09:27
Masato Imai (JPN) 2:09:30
Alistair Cragg (IRL) 2:23:05
WOMEN
Mary Keitany (KEN) 2:18:37
Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 2:19:50
Buzunesh Deba (ETH) 2:19:59
Priscah Jeptoo (KEN) 2:20:14
Jelena Prokopcuka (LAT) 2:22:56
Firehiwot Dado (ETH) 2:23:15
Valeria Straneo (ITA) 2:23:44
Ana Dulce Félix (POR) 2:25:40
Rkia El Moukim (MAR) debut
Sara Moreira (POR) debut