Boston, USA - Defending Boston Marathon champions Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Rita Jeptoo will face an elite group of athletes with a depth of experience on the challenging course during the 111th running of the race on April 16, organisers announced late yesterday.

2005 winner Negussie to return

The newly-announced top contenders in the men’s group include Hailu Negussie of Ethiopia, the men’s 2005 champion, and several past runners-up.

Negussie will lead the charge having won the race in 2005, when he brought the title back to Ethiopia after a 16-year hiatus dominated by Kenyan wins. Accepting the opportunity to challenge Cheruiyot’s course record of 2:07:14, Negussie said, “Once again I am eager and happy to run in the Boston Marathon, among the greatest marathons in the world and my favorite place.” One of his country’s most promising marathoners, Negussie has also won the Hofu Marathon in Japan twice and the Xiamen International Marathon in China.

Joining Negussie are 2006 runner-up Benjamin Maiyo and 2004 runner-up Robert Cheboror, both of Kenya. Maiyo is highly motivated to notch his first career win at Boston this year having also finished second at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and second in Los Angeles in 2005. Cheboror will pose a threat returning to the race as one of the fastest marathoners of all time with a 2:06:23 win in Amsterdam in 2004. Last year he finished second in Hamburg and fifth in Chicago.

Another top contender with Boston experience is Stephen Kiogora who will challenge the runners-up as will 2005 Berlin Marathon Champion Philip Manyim. Kiogora recently finished second at the 2006 New York City Marathon and Manyim brings 2:07 speed to the line.

Denisova, Perez join the powerful women's field

In the women’s race, defending champion Rita Jeptoo of Kenya, 2006 Boston runner-up Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia, and American Deena Kastor will face the 2003 runner-up Lyubov Denisova of Russia and Madai Perez of Mexico.

Denisova comes into the race fresh from a course record win at the difficult Honolulu Marathon this past December. She is also a two-time champion of the Los Angeles Marathon, while Perez established a new Mexican record of 2:22:59 at the 2006 Chicago Marathon.

April's race begins the second cycle of the two-year World Marathon Majors, in which runners are chasing a piece of a $1 million purse. Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Prokopcuka are the current leaders, with 50 and 40 points respectively.

Boston Marathon Organisers for the IAAF