Four reigning major marathon champions will race in the UK capital this spring.

Defending champion Vivian Cheruiyot will race Gladys Cherono, Mary Keitany and Brigid Kosgei at the Virgin Money London Marathon on April 28.

Cheruiyot became the fourth fastest woman of all time after clocking 2:18:31 to win in London last year. The Olympic 5000m champion finished ahead of Kenyan compatriot Kosgei, who went on to win October’s Chicago Marathon in a personal best 2:18:35.

“It was a great moment for me winning last year’s Virgin Money London Marathon and I am very much looking forward to returning in April,” said Cheruiyot. “The line-up for this year’s race is, once again, incredibly strong so I know I will need to be at my very best to repeat last year’s victory but it is a challenge that I’m really looking forward to. I will be ready.”

Women-only world record holder Keitany was tipped to win in the UK capital marathon in 2018, however, faltered in her attempts to break the women’s mixed world record.

Keitany, who clocked her 2:17:01 best to win the 2017 London title, bounced back in tremendous fashion last year to claim a fourth New York City Marathon crown in five years.

Photo: NYRR

Meanwhile, completing the star quartet for the London Marathon women’s field is 2018 Berlin Marathon champion Gladys Cherono.

While Eliud Kipchoge received most of the media attention after his fantastic world record breaking run at the Berlin Marathon, the 2:01:39 marathoner was not alone in breaking records in the German city, with Cherono winning a third Berlin crown after running a women’s course record time of 2:18:11.

Also confirmed to run are the Ethiopian trio of Tirunesh Dibaba, the three-time Olympic champion on the track and third fastest woman of all time, who finished second in London and won Chicago in 2017, Tadelech Bekele, who finished third in London last year, and 21-year-old Roza Dereje, second in Chicago and winner of the Dubai Marathon in 2018.

The British elite women’s field was previously announced and includes Lily Partridge and Charlotte Purdue, while leading American athlete Molly Huddle, debutant Emily Sisson and Allie Kieffer will make the trip across the Atlantic Ocean.

Another top name set to compete is Irish-born Australian international Sinead Diver, who clocked 2:25:19 to win the Melbourne Marathon last year.

The latest news on the London Marathon can be found here.

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