Eight previous winners to race New York City Marathon

Two of the fastest marathon runners ever are scheduled to face off once again, this time at the New York City Marathon in November and alongside a stacked field of former champions. Wilson Kipsang of Kenya, the world record-holder in the marathon, from his Berlin performance last fall, will race the New York City Marathon for the first time, but even he will have a tough time facing off again the field scheduled to compete.

Topping the list of opponents is Kipsang’s countryman Geoffrey Mutai, who has actually covered 42.4K faster than Kipsang, but on the net-downhill course in Boston. Mutai is the defending champion in New York and also won there in 2011. He also holds the course record of 2:05:06 from his win in 2011.

Two other former men’s champions are also racing, Gebre Gebremariam and Meb Keflezighi. Gebremariam, an Ethiopian, won in 2010 in his debut at the distance. The year before he won the world cross-country championships. Keflezighi is the only American man since 1982 to win the New York City Marathon, having won in 2009. He is a two-time Olympian over the distance, having finishing second at the 2004 Games. He als0 recently won the 2014 Boston Marathon in a PB of 2:08:37.

Stanley Biwott of Kenya, who ran 2:04:55 in London last spring, finishing runner-up to Kipsang, is also scheduled to race. Uganda’s Stephen Kiprotich will also be on the start line. Although Kiprotich is not the fastest on the start list, never having run under 2:07, he is the defending world and Olympic champion.

The women’s race, although not highlighting a world record holder, is nearly as impressive, stacked with four former champions. Priscah Jeptoo will be back in New York defending her win from last year. She was also the runner-up at the 2011 world championships and the 2012 Olympics, but she is faced by a strong list of competitors.

Buzunesh Deba, an Ethiopian New York City resident, and one of only 19 women to ever run under 2:20, is racing for the third time. She also the fastest New York resident ever by over 10 minutes.

“As they say, ‘the third time’s the charm,'” said Deba. “After having two previous years of successful experience, I believe this year will be the most exciting. I have been training very well and find myself in good shape.

Of those returning to reclaim the title of New York City marathon winner are Firehiwot Dado of Ethiopia, who won in 2011, Kenyan Edna Kiplagat, who was the 2010 champion and is also the two-time defending world champion in the marathon, and Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia, who won back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006.

“This year’s international field of past New York City Marathon champions, record-setters, and global championship medallists echoes the aspirational spirit of the TCS New York City Marathon — bringing the world together to celebrate the diversity of New York City and strive to achieve something bigger than ourselves — a global running community,” said New York Road Runners president Mary Wittenberg.

This year’s race will be held on Sunday, Nov. 2.