Gete Wami successfully defends in Berlin (© Bongarts)
Ethiopia's Gete Wami the inaugural race winner is returning for the Bupa Great Women's Run in Sunderland, UK on Sunday 15 June.
The 33-year-old superstar who romped to a 10 second victory in the 10km race ahead of Portugal's Analisa Rosa two years ago, has been in brilliant form ever since that success.
Wami has twice won the Berlin Marathon and her second place behind Paula Radcliffe last November in New York saw her crowned the first-ever World Marathon Majors title winner for which she received prize money of US$500,000.
The former World Cross Country champion and holder of 19 individual and team medals was very unlucky last month not to win the Flora London Marathon and improve on her runner-up position the previous year.
Wami was looking favourite to pull off her first win in London until falling heavily around 30 kilometres into the race and running in pain for the rest of it, although she would have had to be at her best to beat German winner Irina Mikitenko.
However, the 1999 World 10,000 metres track champion had the satisfaction of scoring more vital points in the latest WMM series. Her win in Berlin last autumn and points earned from London saw her establish a 25 point advantage at the top of the leaderboard ahead of Mikitenko and China's Zhou Chunxia.
Wami will clash with Liz Yelling who as first Briton home in London was chosen to represent Team GB for a second successive occasion in this summer's Olympic Games marathon.
Tracy Effard for the IAAF
The 33-year-old superstar who romped to a 10 second victory in the 10km race ahead of Portugal's Analisa Rosa two years ago, has been in brilliant form ever since that success.
Wami has twice won the Berlin Marathon and her second place behind Paula Radcliffe last November in New York saw her crowned the first-ever World Marathon Majors title winner for which she received prize money of US$500,000.
The former World Cross Country champion and holder of 19 individual and team medals was very unlucky last month not to win the Flora London Marathon and improve on her runner-up position the previous year.
Wami was looking favourite to pull off her first win in London until falling heavily around 30 kilometres into the race and running in pain for the rest of it, although she would have had to be at her best to beat German winner Irina Mikitenko.
However, the 1999 World 10,000 metres track champion had the satisfaction of scoring more vital points in the latest WMM series. Her win in Berlin last autumn and points earned from London saw her establish a 25 point advantage at the top of the leaderboard ahead of Mikitenko and China's Zhou Chunxia.
Wami will clash with Liz Yelling who as first Briton home in London was chosen to represent Team GB for a second successive occasion in this summer's Olympic Games marathon.
Tracy Effard for the IAAF
