G.O.A.T. Eliud Kipchoge out of London Marathon, Kosgei returns

London Marathon champions, Shura Kitata of Ethiopia and Kenya's Brigid Kosgei will defend their titles when the race goes down on October 3.

Organisers on Thursday released the start list that has the women's world record holder Kosgei and Kitata.

As expected, four-time London marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge will not take part in the race.

Kipchoge, who retained his Olympic marathon crown at the recently concluded Tokyo Games, finished eighth at the 2020 London Marathon, timing 2:06:49.

Kipchoge, the world record holder over the distance, said he had issues with his ears during the race.

As a tradition, Kipchoge has been running two marathons a year throughout his career, and having competed in Hamburg earlier in the year and in Tokyo last week, his marathon competition schedule for the year is over.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday after arriving from Tokyo, the 36-year-old remained non-committal on whether he would hang his running shoes after becoming only the third man to defend his Olympic marathon gold.

“I think it is good not to ask about retirement…When your wife delivered the first child, did you plan for the next one immediately?" Posed Kipchoge to a journalist, who responded in negation.

Kosgei, the Olympic silver medalist, will be attempting to win her third successive London Marathon after victories in 2019 and 2020.

Kosgei's inclusion in the elite list of athletes however came as a shock, as she won silver at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday behind compatriot Peres Jepchirchir, meaning she has less than eight weeks to rest and go again in London.

New York City Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei and six other women who have run under two hours and 20 minutes will be in the field.

“It is a great feeling to be coming back as London is one of my favourite marathons. Last year’s win was very special, particularly given what the whole world was going through. It was fantastic just to have the London Marathon organised and even more so to be the winner. I hope to arrive again in very good shape and win for the third time," Kosgei, who set the world record of 2:14:04  at the 2019 Chicago Marathon, said.

Jepkosgei set a new personal best of 2:18:40 last December at the Valencia Marathon, where she finished second to newly-crowned Olympic champion Peres Chepchirchir.

Also in the elite women’s field are Ethiopians Roza Dereje, whose PB of 2:18:30 makes her the tenth-fastest female marathoner of all time, and Birhane Dibaba (PB 2:18:35), who won the Tokyo Marathon in 2018 and 2015, and finished second in the same race on three other occasions (2020, 2017 and 2014).

The other women to have run inside 2:20 are Kenya's Valary Jemeli (2:19:10), Ethiopia's Zeineba Yimer (2:19:28) and Tigist Girma (2:19:50).

Also returning is Australia's Sinead Diver, who has had two top 10 London Marathon finishes in the past two years, and was 10th at the Tokyo Olympics.

In the men’s race, Kitata - who dropped out of the Olympics marathon last weekend after suffering in the hot and humid conditions in Sapporo - will be seeking to defend his title.

Kitata will face Kenya’s Vincent Kipchumba, who finished second in London last year, while Ethiopia's Sisay Lemma - who also failed to finish the race in Sapporo last Sunday - also in the mix.

Kenya’s Valencia Marathon champion Evans Chebet, the fastest man in the world last year (2:03:00), and the two-time Tokyo Marathon champion Birhanu Legese who is the third-fastest marathoner of all time (2:02:48), are also in the start list.

Ethiopians Mosinet Geremew (2:02:55) and Mule Wasihun (2:03:16), who both finished on the podium at the 2019 race, also return.

Titus Ekiru, winner of the 2020 Milano Marathon in a course record of 2:02:57, will make his debut in London.

The 2021 London Marathon returns to its traditional and iconic course from Blackheath to The Mall after last year’s elite-only race on a multiple closed-loop circuit around St James’s Park.

Up to 50,000 runners are expected in the mass race and another 50,000 around the world will take on the virtual event, completing the 26.2 miles on the route of their choice any time between 00:00 and 23:59:59 BST October 3.