by Larry Eder
NEW YORK (USA): Organisers of the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon, scheduled for November 2, have announced world record holder Wilson Kipsang of Kenya and two time runner-up Buzunesh Deba of Ethiopia as the headliners of the race. In his debut in the New York City Marathon, Kipsang (2:03:23, 2013) will line up against three former winners, course record-holder (2:05:06) Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya (2:03:02, 2011), who won in 2011 and 2013; 2010 winner Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia (2:04:53, 2011) and 2009 winner Meb Keflezighi of the USA (2:08:37, 2014). Other leading contenders in the race will be World and Olympic marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda (2:07:20, 2011); 2014 London Marathon runner-up Stanley Biwott of Kenya (2:04:55, 2014); former 10K world record-holder Micah Kogo of Kenya (2:06:56, 2013) and Japanese citizen runner Yuki Kawauchi (2:08:14, 2013), who has run 8 marathons so far this year. Deba (2:19:59, 2014) is a resident New Yorker, living in the Bronx. On her adopted home turf she will face the challenge of 4 former winners; defending champion Priscah Jeptoo of Kenya (2:20:14, 2012), 2011 winner Firehiwot Dado of Ethiopia (2:23:15, 2011), 2010 champion Edna Kiplagat of Kenya (2:19:50, 2012) and Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia (2:22:56, 2005) who won the race in 2005 and 2006. But the top athlete in the field will be the returning Mary Keitany (2:18:37, 2012) fresh from a very fast win at the Great North Run. World marathon silver medalist Valeria Straneo of Italy (2:23:44, 2012) and the Portuguese pairing of Ana Dulce Felix (2:25:40, 2011) and Sara Moreira will provide Europe’s main challenge.
