Keitany's women-only record faces biggest threat in April

Kenya's Brigid Kosgei (right) and Ruth Chepngetich in action during the 2020 London Marathon. [File]

Nothing but thrilling contests are expected as super-fast fields are lined up for the April 21 London Marathon.

Marathoners with the most impressive CVs in 42km races have been entered in what is shaping up to be a spectacular showdown.

With global bigwigs assembled, the women's field promises a tough battle.

Former winners Brigid Kosgei and Joyciline Jepkosgei as well as Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir are gearing up for a cat-fight of the year with world record holder Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia

The men’s charges from Kenya comprises Geoffrey Kamworor who placed second behind the late Marathon World Record Kelvin Kiptum last year has been entered alongside Alexander Mutiso, the reigning Prague International Marathon champion.

The rich women's field released on Tuesday would mean the biggest threat to the 2:17:01 marathon women-only World Record set by Mary Keitany at the 2017 edition.

Ruth Chepngetich, the 2019 world champion is in the field, and will be taking to London the fourth-fastest of all time.

Joyciline Jepkosgei will be proud of her 2021 stunning win, hoping to replicate the same script in the 2024 edition.

The Kenyan women stars will be eying glory in a field that has marathon World Record holder, Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa.

Assefa shattered Brigid Kosgei at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, setting the new mark at 2:11:53.

The current world record holder and her predecessor will be vying for a top spot in London in a face-off that will happen less than four months to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“We are in a golden age of women’s marathon running,” London Marathon event director Hugh Brasher said.

Kenyan women will also square it out with the 2022 London Marathon champion Yalemzerf Yehualaw in the World Marathon Major contest.

“However, I suspect that with Assefa, Kosgei and the likes of Ruth Chepngetich, Peres Jepchirchir and Yalemzerf Yehualaw in the field, Keitany’s world record is going to be under serious threat,” said Brasher.

To achieve the aim of lowering the women-only record, organisers have line up pacesetters who will dictate the pace.

Sheila Chepkirui, a Commonwealth 10,000m bronze medallist will also be eying a place in marathon history.

To demonstrate the kind of blistering speeds expected on the streets of London during the Sunday race, five women who have run under 2:17 are in the stellar line-up.

Kosgei and Chepngetich and Ethiopian guns, Assefa, Tigist Katema and Almaz Ayana.

“When Paula Radcliffe ran her incredible world record of 2:15:25 at the 2003 London Marathon, we had to wait 16 years for Brigid Kosgei to beat it. But since then, a further four women have run faster than Paula’s time including Tigst Assefa, who lowered the world record even further with her stunning run in Berlin last year. Despite this, the women’s-only world record of 2:17:01, set by the great Mary Keitany here at the London Marathon in 2017, has amazingly stayed intact,” the race director said.

Kamworor and Mutiso will be competing with Ethiopian guns, New York City Marathon champion Tamirat Tola, and legend Kenenisa Bekele, a two-time 10,000m Olympic champion.