New York - Former ING New York City Marathon champions Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa (2004) and Martin Lel of Kenya (2003) and three-time ING New York City Marathon runner-up Susan Chepkemei of Kenya will return to the streets of New York on 5 November for the 37th running of the ING New York City Marathon, it was announced by race director Mary Wittenberg, president and CEO of New York Road Runners.

“Hendrick, Martin, and Susan are all playmakers and have played leading roles in our storied marathon history,” said Wittenberg. “In a field of favorites, each is fully capable of winning on November 5.”

Ramaala, the ING New York City Marathon 2004 champion, was part of one of the most memorable finishes in the race’s history last year. World record-holder Paul Tergat of Kenya captured a dramatic down-to-the-wire win (2:09:30) by crossing the line barely a step in front of Ramaala (2:09:31). It was the closest-ever finish in the 36-year history of the race.

Ramaala, 34, won the ING New York City Marathon crown in 2004 with a time of 2:09:28. He placed fifth in New York in 2001 with a time of 2:11:18. This year, he recorded a personal-best time of 2:06:55 at the Flora London Marathon, finishing third.

Like Ramaala, Lel, 27, also registered a personal-best marathon time (2:06:41) at the Flora London Marathon in April, finishing second by just two seconds to Felix Limo after winning the event in 2005. He won the ING New York City Marathon title in 2003 with a time of 2:10:30 and was third at the Boston Marathon in both 2003 and 2004.

Fellow Kenyan Rodgers Rop, 33, who captured first place in the ING New York City Marathon 2002 with a time of 2:08:07, will attempt to win his second New York title. He was the runner-up to Lel in 2003.

Also joining the men’s professional field is 26-year-old Hailu Negussie. He has won four marathons, including the 2005 Boston Marathon.

Brazilian contender Marilson Gomes dos Santos will look to make a splash in his first ING New York City Marathon appearance.

The New York women’s race is shaping up as one of the deepest and most competitive in recent years. In addition to defending champion Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Deena Kastor, the ING New York City Marathon will also feature Chepkemei and fellow Kenyan Rita Jeptoo.

Chepkemei, 31, is one of the world’s most consistent marathon runners. She set a personal-best time of 2:21:46 at this year’s Flora London Marathon, where she finished third. She has placed second three times at the ING New York City Marathon, most recently in 2005. Her top time in New York came in 2004 when she ran the race in 2:23:13 to place second behind England’s Paula Radcliffe (2:23:10). In 2001, Chepkemei was second to countrywoman Margaret Okayo with a time of 2:25:12. She also participated in the ING New York City Marathon 2003, when she posted a seventh-place finish in 2:29:05.

Jeptoo, 25, won Boston with a personal-best time of 2:23:38. The victory marked her most significant career highlight to date and catapulted her to the top of the WMM leaderboard. In 2005, Jeptoo was seventh at the IAAF World Championships Marathon (2:24:22) and third at the Turin Marathon. She collected two first-place finishes in marathons in Milan and Stockholm in 2004.

Rounding out the women’s field in New York will be 2005 IAAF World Half-Marathon Championships silver medalist Lornah Kiplagat. Kiplagat, of the Netherlands, was 10th at last year’s ING New York City Marathon with a time of 2:28:28. She won the Dam to Dam 10 Mile in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on 17 September, in a world-best time of 50:50. Russia’s Lidiya Grigoryeva will also be back in New York seeking to improve upon her eighth-place finish last year (2:27:48). Grigoryeva won the 2006 City of Los Angeles Marathon.