Will elusive world records fall at London Marathon? Organisers have put together a fearsome field in the hope of new world marks

London Marathon - Elite Men Press Conference - London, Britain - April 19, 2018 Kenya's Daniel Wanjiru and Eliud Kipchoge with Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele and Guye Adola pose for a photograph Action Images via Reuters

Keitany leads onslaught in women race as Kipchoge will be hoping to break Kimetto’s mark of 2:02:57.

Once again, organisers of the annual Virgin London Marathon spared no penny to sign up the most fearsome fields ever assembled in a bid to deliver their cherished desire of producing new world records tomorrow.

Last year, Kenya’s Mary Keitany scampered away from the stacked field to stop the clock at 2:17:01 to set the (women’s only) marathon record, fulfilling ‘half’ of what the spring World Marathon Majors (WMM) showpiece dearly craves.

Without 2016 winner and two-time titleholder, Kenya’s Olympic champion, Eliud Kipchoge, the corresponding men’s race did not scorch the time charts, with compatriot Daniel Wanjiru pulling a rabbit out of the hat with his 2:05:48 victory.

Kipchoge missed his title defence for the Nike Breaking2 project in Monza, Italy on May 6, 2017 where he came woefully short of running the classic 42.195km distance in under two hours.

 

Brutal weather

The timer stopped at 2:00:25, which still ranks as the fastest ever a human being has covered the marathon though the suits at world IAAF do not consider it as the world record due to the ‘lab’ conditions it was run.

After brutal weather saw the proud Kenyan distance runners hammered into submission at Monday’s American spring WMM spectacular, Boston — with only two placing in the top 10 in both elite races, London is expected to restore ‘order’ with Kipchoge and Keitany installed as favourites.

Their brief however, does not stop there. The race that has been held every spring since 1981 and organised by Hugh Brasher, the son of founder Chris Brasher — has pulled all stops to ensure the world record of 2:02:57 (men) and the seemingly untouchable 2:15:25 (women mixed) will tumble.

Having proven a human being can breach the 2:00 barrier, Kipchoge, 33, who has won eight of his nine marathons, has set himself the target of finishing in 2:02:46 or under to obliterate Dennis Kimetto’s standard that has somehow, considering the pedigree of the challengers, survived since 2014.

Kipchoge, who set the London route best of 2:03:05 that is officially ranked the third quickest of all time in 2016, is determined than ever to own the record.

 

Gross understatement

He stated a London hat trick will be the crown jewel of his career if it comes wrapped in the ribbons of a new standard over the distance.

“That showed me that there is no limit,” Kipchoge mused on Breaking2 and in gross understatement, the man who still rates himself as a ‘student’ of the marathon quipped.

“One day, I’ll try to run a world record that can be ratified by the IAAF and it will show the next generation what can be done.”

Had he not been bothered by the imposing presence of former record holder, Wilson Kipsang at Berlin 2016, Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele, who ran the second fastest ever of 2:03:03, would have added the marathon to his 5000m and 10,000m records. The ‘unhappy’ 35-year-old therefore, has only one thing on his mind.

“I want to try my best to break the world record. I don’t know when or where but that’s what keeps me angry and motivated,” Bekele said, having failed alongside Kipchoge to hammer past 2:02:57 in Berlin last year when he registered a DNF.

British distance-running superstar, Sir Mo Farah, who quit track after the London 2017 World Championships, has also tossed his hat into the record ring, leaving Wanjiru who is coming to hold on to his crown as a ‘bystander’ in the whole matrix.

 

Male pacemakers

On her part, Keitany plots to erase the remaining standard held by Paula Radcliffe, who, aided by male pacemakers, set what the IAAF downgraded to ‘world best’ record 15 years ago at the 2003 edition.

Keitany, 36, has been granted the same conditions as Radcliffe to aid her bid and after being upstaged in New York last fall in a bid for a fourth crown, the three-time London champion is running out of time to ascend to the peak she has threatened to reach in recent years.

“I have my focus on the world record and hopefully with the help of male pacesetters, I will manage to shave a few seconds off the time,” Keitany said.

“If you compare last year to this year, last year I went almost alone from halfway but now I will have someone with me all the way, so it will help a lot.”

Ethiopian distance-running goddess, Tirunesh Dibaba, who is finding her stride in the marathon after winning everything there is to collect on track, including three world records, is the other with an eye on history.

“Breaking Paula’s record is not an easy thing. It’s a very challenging one. So I just can’t say I am going to break it but we will see,” Tirunesh — who won Chicago in 2:18:30 last season having trailed Keitany across the tape at the British capital last year in 2:17:56 — said.

High temperatures and thunderstorms may thwart the lofty ambitions but the top dogs believe they will handle whatever happens unless the weather — the polar opposite of Boston — delivers another sucker punch inside a week.

 

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