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2015 London Marathon Preview

On this page: Overview | Men’s Race | Women’s Race | Full Starter List / Performances at London

The London Marathon has, inarguably, the largest budget in the world and the largest budget for elite athletes. The prize money for top placements amounts to just over $300,000 – but add on top of that generous time bonuses and many, many undisclosed private bonus deals and appearance money with individual athletes and the number of millions of dollars spent on athletes is staggering.

Because of its commitment to paying athletes; because of its flat/fast course; because of its use of pacers to ensure the race starts at a fast pace; and because of its insistence and use of time bonuses for much of its prize money – the London Marathon ALWAYS has the deepest field in marathoning and provides great results and drams for its race. And the 2015 race will be no exception – and may be best field and race ever imagined. [Editor’s note: because of the nature of the London Marathon, we’ve kept this paragraph intact since 2013!]

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The Men’s Race
The 2015 London Marathon boasts a field containing seven of the top twenty marathoners of all time, including four who have run sub-2:04 and an additional four who have run sub-2:05. In the field are the world record holder in the marathon (Dennis Kimetto, 2:02:57), the previous world record holder (Wilson Kipsang, 2:03:23), the man who has run the second-fastest marathon ever (Geoffrey Mutai, 2:03:02 on a non-record eligible course), the fourth fastest marathoner ever (Emmanuel Mutai, 2:03:13). The winners and most of the runners-up from the previous Marathon Majors races: Eliud Kipchoge, Sammy Kitwara and some others mentioned previously. As alwaya, the field is stacked and any of those previously mentioned could easily win, although the smart money will be on Kipsang (the defending champion and course record holder) or Kimetto (the world record holder) – with the possibility and expectation of a new course record or at least a sub-2:05 finish or better

The Women’s Race
The London Marathon has brought together a great slate of women with four who have run sub-2:20 and three others who have run sub-2:21. At the top of the list are the top two women from the 2014 London Marathon: Edna Kiplagat and Florence Kiplagat (not related). Edna was the winner of the 2014 and runner-up in 2013 – so must be a favorite. Florence Kiplagat was runner-up in 2014 and also is the world record holder in the Half Marathon (65:12). Mary Keitany, the 2011 and 2012 London Marathon champion and previous Half Marathon record holder, struggled to show her prowess at the marathon after her 2012 London victory, but return to show she is back at the top of her form with a win at the 2014 New York City Marathon.

As we’ve written elsewhere, we’ll expect the pacers to take this group of women out at better than 2:20 marathon pace – and unlike in some other years, one or more of these women should be able to survive that starting pace and we will expect something exciting.

Elite Lineup:

Men’s Field

Name	Country	Bib	Personal Best	London History
Wilson Kipsang (33)	KEN	1	2:03:23, Berlin, 2013	History
Dennis Kimetto (31)	KEN	2	2:02:57, Berlin, 2014	History
Emmanuel Mutai (31)	KEN	3	2:03:13, Berlin, 2014	History
Eliud Kipchoge (31)	KEN	4	2:04:05, Berlin, 2013	History
Geoffrey Mutai (34)	KEN	5	2:03:02, Boston, 2011	History
Sammy Kitwara (29)	KEN	7	2:04:28, Chicago, 2014	History
Tsegaye Mekonnen (20)	ETH	8	2:04:32, Dubai, 2014	History
Stanley Biwott (29)	KEN	9	2:04:55, London, 2014	History
Tilahun Regassa (25)	ETH	10	2:05:27, Chicago, 2012	History
Samuel Tsegay (27)	ERI	11	2:07:28, Amsterdam, 2011	History
Serhiy Lebid (40)	UKR	12	2:08:32, Seoul, 2014	History
Aleksey Reunkov (31)	RUS	13	2:09:54, Frankfurt, 2011	History
Ghebrezgiabhier Kibrom (28)	ERI	14	2:10:00, Hengshui, 2014	History
Marcin Chabowski (29)	POL	15	2:10:07, Dusseldorf, 2012	History
Koen Raymaekers (35)	NED	16	2:10:35, Rotterdam, 2012	History
Scott Overall (32)	GBR	17	2:19:55, London, 2014	History
Michael Shelley (32)	AUS	18	2:13:09, Chicago, 2013	History
Javier Guerra (32)	ESP	19	2:12:21, La Coruña, 2013	History
Bekir Karayel (33)	TUR	20	2:13:21, London, 2012	History
Hermano Ferreira (33)	POR	21	2:13:28, Vienna, 2010	History
Christian Kreienbühl (34)	SUI	22	2:15:35, Berlin, 2012	History
Anuradha Cooray (37)	SRI	23	2:17:50, London, 2012	History
Mert Girmalegesse (28)	TUR	24	2:17:45, Tempe, 2008	History
Cesar Lizano (33)	CRC	25	2:17:50, Chicago, 2011	History
Stijn Fincioen (35)	BEL	26	2:17:57, Eindhoven, 2011	History

Women’s Field

Name	Country	Bib	Personal Best	London History
Edna Kiplagat (36)	KEN	101	2:19:50, London, 2012	History
Mary Keitany (33)	KEN	102	2:18:37, London, 2012	History
Aselefech Mergia (30)	ETH	103	2:19:31, Dubai, 2012	History
Florence Kiplagat (28)	KEN	104	2:19:44, Berlin, 2011	History
Priscah Jeptoo (31)	KEN	105	2:20:14, London, 2012	History
Tirfi Tsegaye (31)	ETH	106	2:20:18, Berlin, 2014	History
Jemima Sumgong (31)	KEN	108	2:20:41, Boston, 2014	History
Tigist Tufa (28)	ETH	109	2:24:31, Ottawa, 2014	History
Tetyana Gamera (32)	UKR	110	2:22:09, Osaka, 2015	History
Tatyana Arkhipova (32)	RUS	111	2:23:29, London Olympics, 2012	History
Ana Dulce Felix (33)	POR	112	2:25:40, New York City, 2011	History
Alessandra Aguilar (37)	ESP	114	2:27:00, Rotterdam, 2011	History
Rkia El Moukim (27)	MAR	115	2:28:12, New York, 2014	History
Iwona Lewandowska (30)	POL	116	2:28:32, Frankfurt, 2012	History
Mary Davies (33)	NZL	117	2:28:55, Toronto Waterfront Marathon, 2012	History
Elvan Abeylegesse (33)	TUR	118	2:29:30, Istanbul, 2013	History
Diane Nukuri (31)	BDI	119	2:29:54, Boston, 2013	History
Sonia Samuels (36)	GBR	120	2:30:56, Berlin, 2012	History
Emma Stepto (45)	GBR	121	2:36:05, London, 2014	History
Volha Mazuronak (26)	BLR	122	2:33:33, Lódz, 2013	History
Rebecca Robinson (33)	GBR	123	2:37:14, London, 2010	History