Geoffrey Mutai to race in London, Bekele drops out

Geoffrey Mutai, Emmanuel Mutai
NEW YORK MARATHON Kenya's Emmanuel Mutai, left, congratulates Kenya's Geoffrey Mutai after he won the men's division of the New York City Marathon with a course record, with Emmanuel Mutai in second place, on Sunday, Nov. 6, 2011, in New York.

Geoffrey Mutai and Ethiopia’s Aselefech Mergia have been added to the men’s and women’s elite fields for the London Marathon on April 26.

But Ethiopia’s multiple Olympic and World track champion, Kenenisa Bekele, who broke the Paris Marathon course record on his debut in the distance last April, has been forced to withdraw with a right Achilles tendon injury sustained during the Dubai Marathon in January.

“Unfortunately, I have had to pull out of this year’s Virgin Money London Marathon because of the problems I had while running in Dubai,” said Bekele. “I desperately wanted to run in London this year, but the injury to my Achilles has not healed sufficiently for me to compete against such a great field.

“I hope to be back in 2016 and ready to challenge the best marathon runners in the world in London.”

Mutai and Mergia are the two most prominent names in a second wave of athletes signed up for the London Marathon’s 35th anniversary races.

Mutai, who comes from Mumberes in Baringo County, has won the New York Marathon twice in recent years and tasted victory at the 2012 Berlin Marathon.

He famously set an unofficial world best when he won the 2011 Boston Marathon in 2:03:02, although the run was not acceptable for official records because of the downhill Boston course.

He joins a field featuring many of his compatriots, including the first ever marathon clash between world record holder Dennis Kimetto and defending London champion Wilson Kipsang; plus the second fastest marathon runner in history, Emmanuel Mutai, the reigning Chicago Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge, and last year’s London Marathon runner-up Stanley Biwott.

The line-up contains the three fastest marathon runners of all time, and six of the 10 quickest men in history. Mutai, who has a legal personal best of 2:04:15, is one of nine men to have run the gruelling 26.2 miles in under 2:05.

Mergia will face Edna Kiplagat, Mary Keitany, Priscah Jeptoo and Florence Kiplagat.