Amos Kipruto faces stiff competition in London Marathon title defense quest

Last year’s TCS London Marathon winner Amos Kipruto will take on an incredibly strong field of runners at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race set to take place on Sunday 23 April in the defence of his title.

The Kenyan will line up alongside Kenenisa Bekele and compatriot Kelvin Kiptum, the second and third-fastest runners in history in the race that will for the first time have two men with sub-2:02 PBs on the same start line as well as a total of six sub-2:04 performers.

Speaking ahead of the race however, Kipruto welcomed the competition as he backed himself to be in contention for the title again.

“Winning last year’s TCS London Marathon was an incredible experience for me,” said the 30-year-old, who was second at last year’s Tokyo Marathon behind world record-holder Eliud Kipchoge and third in the 2019 World Championships.

“London always has a really strong field and this year is the same so I know I will face a battle to defend my title, but I am confident and looking forward to it.”

Bekele, the second-fastest man ever with a PB of 2:01:41, is one of the all-time greats of distance running. A multiple world champion on the track and cross country, the Ethiopian has focused on the roads in recent years.

Despite being almost 41 years of age, he finished fifth in London last year in 2:05:53.

Kiptum produced one of the biggest road running surprises of the year in 2022, winning the Valencia Marathon on his debut at the distance with 2:01:53 – a time that has only ever been bettered by Bekele and marathon legend Kipchoge.

The 23-year-old Kenyan has not raced since then, but the quality of the field assembled for London could help bring about further improvements.

World champion Tamirat Tola and fellow Ethiopians Birhanu Legese and Leul Gebresilase – the runner-up last year – add further depth to the field, as does two-time New York Marathon winner Geoffrey Kamworor.

Multiple world and Olympic champion Mo Farah, meanwhile, recently announced that this weekend’s race will be his final marathon.

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Men

Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:01:41

Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) 2:01:53

Birhanu Legese (ETH) 2:02:48

Amos Kipruto (KEN) 2:03:13

Tamirat Tola (ETH) 2:03:39

Kinde Atanaw (ETH) 2:03:51

Leul Gebresilase (ETH) 2:04:02

Seifu Tura (ETH) 2:04:29

Mo Farah (GBR) 2:05:11

Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 2:05:23

Brett Robinson (AUS) 2:07:31

Dewi Griffiths (GBR) 2:09:49

Chris Thompson (GBR) 2:10:52

Tom Gröschel (GER) 2:11:03

Ben Connor (GBR) 2:11:20

Frank Lara (USA) 2:11:32

Luke Caldwell (GBR) 2:11:33

Weynay Ghebresilasie (GBR) 2:11:57

Emile Cairess (GBR) debut

Reporting by World Athletics