Kenenisa Bekele has joined a loaded London Marathon marathon field that could rank as one of the deepest majors ever, organizers announced on Monday.
Bekele, 42, is back to take another shot at the race he finished second in 2:04:15 last year and will face a stacked group of runners competitors on April 27.
The accolades have piled up during his 20-year tenure, with 17 world titles in cross country and track along with a pair of wins at the Berlin Marathon in 2016 and 2019.
“It is an honor to be returning to the TCS London Marathon and to be part of such an incredible line-up,” Bekele said in a statement. “The London Marathon is a special event which brings together the best marathon runners in the world and I just love being part of it. Of course, it will be special to once again run against Eliud, we have enjoyed some fantastic moments racing one another over the past 22 years and I’m looking forward to that continuing at the TCS London Marathon.”
At the start line in April, he will face steep challenges on the course, with returning London champion Alexander Mutiso back to stake his claim for another London title — and once again deny Bekele the top podium slot. Mutiso won the 2024 race in 2:04:01 in a late surge past Bekele, who set a master’s marathon world record.
Meanwhile Paris marathon Olympic winner Tamirat Tola, Sabastian Sawe, Timothy Kiplagat, Milkesa Mengesha and Eliud Kipchoge will be among the standout names who have ensured that the eyes on running will be on London in April.
“Kenenisa Bekele has given athletics fans so many special moments over his long and hugely successful career and he came so close to creating another when he finished second at last year’s TCS London Marathon,” Spencer Barden, head of elite athletes for the race said in a statement. “We are delighted he is returning to the TCS London Marathon and to be able to renew the rivalry with Eliud Kipchoge. They are arguably the two greatest male distance runners we have ever seen and it will be special to see them together again at this year’s TCS London Marathon.”
The expected duel in London with Bekele and Kipchoge comes with plenty of hype and precedence.
They first faced off in the 5,000m final at the 2003 World Championships in Paris, with Kipchoge snatching the win as Bekele took bronze. But Bekele proved to get the best of Kipchoge in the early years of both men on the track, taking 14 of their 17 matchups.
Kipchoge has always gotten the best of Bekele at the marathon stage, winning five times — including the 2016 and 2018 London Marathons — but struggled in their most recent meeting at the Paris Games where he failed to finish. Bekele came in 39th in 2:12:24.
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