Korir and Mengistu will defend Paris Marathon titles

Mark Korir and Meseret Mengistu, winners of the 2015 Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris, will return to the IAAF Gold Label Road Race on 3 April to defend their titles.

Korir clocked a PB of 2:05:49 to win in the French capital last year in what was the first marathon victory of his career. He will be one of nine men in this year’s race with a PB faster than 2:07.

Fellow Kenyan Bernard Koech is the only man in the field whose PB is faster than Kenenisa Bekele’s 2:05:03 course record. Koech set his PB of 2:04:53 on his marathon debut in Dubai in 2013 but is yet to win a marathon.

Other athletes in the men’s field include 2014 Toronto Marathon winner Laban Korir, Commonwealth silver medallist Stephen Chemlany, 2008 world indoor bronze medallist Abraham Feleke, 2015 Paris third-place finisher Seboka Tola, and 2008 Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist Micah Kogo.

Mengistu smashed her PB by nearly six minutes to win last year’s women’s title in 2:23:26. The Ethiopian may need to be near her best again if she wants to become just the second woman in Paris Marathon history to win back-to-back titles.

Kenya’s Georgina Rono, a 2:21:39 runner at best, is also in the field, along with compatriots Visiline Jepkesho, who finished third in Paris last year in a PB of 2:24:44, and Rebecca Kangogo Chesir.

Organisers for the IAAF

Elite field (with PBs)

Men
Bernard Koech (KEN) 2:04:53
Mark Korir (KEN) 2:05:49
Laban Korir (KEN) 2:06:05
Abraham Feleke (ETH) 2:06:13
Seboka Tola (ETH) 2:06:17
Stephen Chemlany (KEN) 2:06:24
Alfers Lagat (KEN) 2:06:48
Micah Kogo (KEN) 2:06:56
Felix Kiprotich (KEN) 2:06:59
Luka Kanda (KEN) 2:07:20
Elijah Kemboi (KEN) 2:07:34
Robert Kwambai (KEN) 2:08:18
Beraki Beyene (ERI) 2:08:27
Cyprian Kotut (KEN) 2:08:55
Jackson Limo (KEN) 2:09:06
Wilfried Murgor (KEN) 2:09:37

Women
Georgina Rono (KEN) 2:21:39
Meseret Mengistu (ETH) 2:23:26
Visiline Jepkesho (KEN) 2:24:44
Rebecca Chesir Kangogo (KEN) 2:25:22
Martha Komu (FRA) 2:25:33
Fatna Maraoui (ITA) 2:30:50