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The London Marathon is this Sunday! It will likely be hard for it to match up to the sheer quality of performance from Berlin, but it certainly looks to be one of the deepest entry lists on paper, especially for the women.
The men's race looks to be headlined by Kenenisa Bekele (2:01:41), Birhanu Legese (2:02:48), Amos Kipruto (2:03:13), Sisay Lemma (2:03:36), Bashir Abdi (2:03:36, Olympic bronze), Kinde Atanaw (2:03:51), and Mo Farah.
The women's race has Yalemzerf Yehualew (2:17:23, fastest debutant this year in Hamburg), Joyciline Jepkosgei (2:17:43, defending champion), Ashete Bekere (2:17:58, 2021 runner-up), Joan Chelimo Melly (2:18:04, first in Seoul), Sutume Asefa Kebebe (2:18:12), Judith Korir (2:18:20, WC silver), and Alemu Megertu (2:18:51).
Amazingly, the women's field was set to be even stronger, but Brigid Kosgei, Degitu Azimeraw, Girmawit Gebrzihair, and Abebel Yeshanah have all withdrawn.
On the men's side, I think it will likely be a 3-man race between Legese, Kipruto, and Lemma but I'd pick Kipruto after his impressive runner up behind Kipchoge this spring in Tokyo. A high 2:02 isn't out of the question for them.
For the women Yehualew, Jepkosgei, and Bekere have to be the favorites, though the sheer quality of the field makes it hard to predict. I do hope Yehualew is motivated to regain her national record after Berlin and pushes to run in 2:15 territory.
In any case, both are certain to be excellent races.
The men's race looks to be headlined by Kenenisa Bekele (2:01:41), Birhanu Legese (2:02:48), Amos Kipruto (2:03:13), Sisay Lemma (2:03:36), Bashir Abdi (2:03:36, Olympic bronze), Kinde Atanaw (2:03:51), and Mo Farah.
The women's race has Yalemzerf Yehualew (2:17:23, fastest debutant this year in Hamburg), Joyciline Jepkosgei (2:17:43, defending champion), Ashete Bekere (2:17:58, 2021 runner-up), Joan Chelimo Melly (2:18:04, first in Seoul), Sutume Asefa Kebebe (2:18:12), Judith Korir (2:18:20, WC silver), and Alemu Megertu (2:18:51).
Amazingly, the women's field was set to be even stronger, but Brigid Kosgei, Degitu Azimeraw, Girmawit Gebrzihair, and Abebel Yeshanah have all withdrawn.
On the men's side, I think it will likely be a 3-man race between Legese, Kipruto, and Lemma but I'd pick Kipruto after his impressive runner up behind Kipchoge this spring in Tokyo. A high 2:02 isn't out of the question for them.
For the women Yehualew, Jepkosgei, and Bekere have to be the favorites, though the sheer quality of the field makes it hard to predict. I do hope Yehualew is motivated to regain her national record after Berlin and pushes to run in 2:15 territory.
In any case, both are certain to be excellent races.
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