The women's London Marathon race will see the defending Champion Joyciline Jepkosgei battle it out with Ethiopia’s world 10km record-holder Yalemzerf Yehualaw.
Jepkosgei has only participated in one race this year where she finished seventh at the Boston Marathon in April.
Her competitor Yehualaw, on the other end, is undefeated, having won all her four road races. The Ethiopian made her debut in the 42km race in April 2022 in Humburg.
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Yehualaw holds the record of the fastest marathon debut she set at the Haspa Marathon Hamburg, in Germany with a time of 2:17:23.
The last time both athletes faced each other was at the 2020 World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, with Yehualaw finishing three places ahead of the Jekpkosgei.
Jepkosgei is the seventh fastest woman in the marathon with a time of 2:17:43.
Also in the field is Ethiopian Ashete Bekere who ranks third with a sub-2:18 as her Personal Best. The athlete who finished third in 2021, will be aiming to better her last year's results.
27-year-old Sutume Asefa from Ethiopia will also be making her debut in London and will be aiming to improve her PB of 2:18:12.
Other Kenyans who will be present at the race are Joan Chelimo Melly, Judith Jeptum Korir and Mary Ngugi.
Chelimo who is heading to the race after setting a Romanian record of 2:18:04 to win in Seoul, in April will try to improve after finishing seventh at the 2021 London Marathon.
Judith Korir is another name to look out for at the race having won the Paris Marathon in April with a course record of 2:19:48. Korir has a Personal Best time of 2:18:20 when she won silver at the World Championships in Eugene.
Mary Ngugi will be making her debut at the London Marathon after finishing third at the 2022 Boston Marathon that was won by her compatriot Peres Jepchirchir.
The TCS London Marathon is set to take place on Sunday, October 2, 2022.
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