FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday 17 January 2017
SUMGONG STARS IN STELLAR LINE-UP AT 2017 VIRGIN MONEY LONDON MARATHON
Olympic champion Jemima Sumgong will defend her Virgin Money London
Marathon title on Sunday 23 April against one of the strongest women's
fields ever assembled for a major city marathon.
Sumgong defied the odds last April when she recovered from a bruising fall
to beat the world's best in the British capital with a devastating finish.
The 32-year-old went on to make history in Rio when she became the first
Kenyan woman to win Olympic marathon gold. Sumgong defeated Ethiopia's
world champion Mare Dibaba in Brazil to confirm her status as the world's
number one marathon runner of 2016.
Dibaba, who won bronze in Rio behind Bahrain's Eunice Kirwa, will be one of
Sumgong's main rivals in London from a field containing four women who have
broken the iconic two hours 20 minute barrier and no fewer than nine who
have run quicker than 2:22.
"London is the marathon every runner wants to win," said Sumgong. "I can't
wait to return to defend my title."
The line-up announced today includes all three medallists from last year's
London Marathon, three of the top five finishers from the Rio Games, four
previous London Marathon champions, and the winners at last year's Abbott
World Marathon Majors races in Tokyo, Berlin, Chicago and New York.
The quickest on paper is again Mary Keitany who will be aiming to become
only the fourth woman to win the London Marathon three times after
completing a hat-trick of New York City Marathon titles last November.
Keitany became the second fastest women marathon runner of all time when
she won her second London Marathon in 2012 in 2:18:37. But after finishing
runner-up in 2015, the African record holder could only place ninth last
April after she was involved in the collision that brought down Sumgong.
That cost Keitany a place on Kenya's Rio team and the 35-year-old will feel
she has something to prove.
"I love running in London," said Keitany. "After the sickness I had before
the race and the fall last year during the race, I want to show everyone
what I can do. My goal is to win the Virgin Money London Marathon for the
third time and to demonstrate to everybody that I could have won the
Olympic Games last year if I had been selected."
The domestic competition for Kenyan runners will be fierce as the elite
line-up also includes Florence Kiplagat, the 2016 Chicago champion and half
marathon world record holder who was third here last year and second in
2014; last year's Tokyo Marathon champion and 2015 world silver medallist
Helah Kiprop; plus the Olympic 5,000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot who will
make her marathon debut at the age of 33.
The quintet of quality Kenyans is matched by a five-strong Ethiopian
contingent that is equally impressive.
Mare Dibaba, who finished sixth last year, is joined by her namesake
Tirunesh Dibaba, the triple Olympic and five-time world track champion, who
finished third on her marathon debut in London three years ago; the 2015
London champion Tigist Tufa, who was second here last year; three-times
Berlin Marathon champion Aberu Kebede, who has also won the Frankfurt,
Tokyo and Rotterdam marathons; and the 2010 London champion Aselefech
Mergia, who has triumphed three times in the Dubai Marathon in recent
years.
The 10 east Africans are likely to form the leading pack on 23 April but
they will be chased hard by other athletes with notable pedigrees.
Former European 10,000m champion Ana Dulce Felix ran her best time on the
London course, when she was eighth in 2015. The Portuguese international
returns this year after placing 16th in Rio.
Former Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Lisa Weightman flies the flag
for Australia while Rio Olympian Alyson Dixon will be favourite to win the
British battle for World Championship places against fellow internationals
Louise Damen, Charlotte Purdue and Susan Partridge.
"This is a stellar field and everyone who is anyone in women's marathon
running will be in London on 23 April," said Hugh Brasher, Event Director.
"We look forward to a fantastic race and the London crowds are certain to
be out in force to cheer home the world's greatest runners."
2017 Virgin Money London Marathon women's elite field and personal bests:
Jemima Sumgong (KEN) 2:20:41
Mary Keitany (KEN) 2:18:37
Aselefech Mergia (ETH) 2:19:31
Florence Kiplagat (KEN) 2:19:44
Mare Dibaba (ETH) 2:19:52
Aberu Kebede (ETH) 2:20:30
Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) 2:20:35
Helah Kiprop (KEN) 2:21:27
Tigist Tufa (ETH) 2:21:52
Ana Dulce Felix (POR) 2:25:15
Lisa Weightman (AUS) 2:26:05
Andrea Deelstra (NED) 2:26:46
Maja Neuenschwander (SUI) 2:26:49
Diana Lobacevske (LTU) 2:28:03
Laura Thweatt (USA) 2:28:23
Krista DuChene (CAN) 2:28:32
Kellyn Taylor (USA) 2:28:40
Alyson Dixon (GBR) 2:29:30
Louise Damen (GBR) 2:30:00
Charlotte Purdue (GBR) 2:30:04
Maryna Damantsevich (BLR) 2:30:07
Susan Partridge (GBR) 2:30:46
Tracy Barlow (GBR) 2:32:05
Jenny Spink (GBR) 2:35:57
Yelena Dolinin (ISR) 2:35:59
Tish Jones (GBR) 2:36:13
Barbara Sanchez (IRL) 2:37:14
Hanna Vandenbussche (BEL) 2:38:35
Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) Debut
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