Jaouad Gharib of Morocco celebrates winning the men's marathon (© Getty Images)
London, UK2004 Olympic champion Stefano Baldini (ITA), Jaouad Gharib (MAR), double World champion (2003 & 2005), and Khalid Khannouchi (USA), former World record Holder, winner in London 2002 and three times Chicago champion, have joined the 2006 Flora London Marathon men’s elite field.
They will race against the previously announced trio of Paul Tergat (KEN), World record holder, second in London 2001 and 2002, and this year’s New York champion, Haile Gebrselassie (ETH), two-time Olympic and four-time World 10,000m champion, and Hendrick Ramaala (RSA), second in New York 2005, champion in New York 2004.
If this was not enough, they are also joined by Martin Lel (KEN), 2005 London champion, Evans Rutto, 2004 London champion and Felix Limo (KEN), first in Chicago this year, Shigeru Aburaya (JPN), fifth in the Olympic Games 2005, Tsuyoshi Ogata (JPN), third in the 2005 World Champs, Shami Mubarak Hassan (QAT), champion in Venice this year, and runner up in the World Half Marathon Championships 2005, Christopher Isegwe (TAN), second in the 2005 World Championships, and Britain’s Jon Brown (GBR), who has twice finished fourth in the Olympics.
“I am certain this is the strongest men’s field we have ever seen in London. It will be a bookies nightmare! This race will go down as a true classic.” said Race Director Dave Bedford.
Alice Frith for the IAAF
