Despite the absence of world record holders Paul Tergat and Paula Radcliffe, tomorrow's London marathon should still justify its reputation as the best of the big-city mass-participation events.
Kenyan Tergat, who clocked an astonishing two hours four minute 55 seconds in Berlin last year, has withdrawn because of a calf injury while Britain's Radcliffe is concentrating on the Athens Olympics this August.
In particular, Radcliffe's absence from the course where she set her world record 2:15:25 last year has stolen much of the glamour and excitement from the 42.195km race past some of the world's most notable landmarks.
Yet race director Dave Bedford has still used his US$2 million budget to fine effect, confessing on Thursday that he had overspent by 15 percent and was relying on the usual late defections to break even.
Ethiopia's Gezahegne Abera will defend his men's title tomorrow as part of his preparation for Athens where he aims to emulate his great compatriot Abebe Bikila by winning a second consecutive Olympic title.
London will be Abera's first marathon since he pulled out of last year's world championship race in Paris with an Achilles injury.
"I'm fit," Abera said this week. "Since Paris I have undergone intensive treatment. I am exuding confidence because of the hard work that I have put in."
Abera, 25, specializes in a devastating late kick, winning five races including last year's London event by a second.
"Fear is not a word that comes into my vocabulary so while I have the utmost respect for my rivals I am not concerned that I have not run as fast as them," he said. "I am very confident I can get back to my winning ways on Sunday [tomorrow]."
Abera says he is still waiting to see if the selectors will pick him for Athens, as is Moroccan Jaouad Gharib who took advantage of the Ethiopian's withdrawal to win last year in Paris.
The former world half-marathon champion has been suffering from bronchitis but he showed he was in prime form three weeks ago by breaking the 60-minute barrier in the Lisbon half-marathon.
"Running as fast as I did in Lisbon has done wonders for my morale," Gharib said.
The fastest man in the field is Kenyan Sammy Korir, who finished only a second behind compatriot Tergat when the five-times world cross-country champion set his world record of 2:04:55 in Berlin last year.
"My training tells me I may even improve on the time I set in Berlin," said Korir, who had been contracted as a pacemaker. "I was surprised with myself that day. I thought I would run 2:06, maybe 2:05 something but to go under 2:05 was unexpected."
In the women's race, twice champion Joyce Chepchumba takes on compatriot Margaret Okayo knowing she has not been selected for Athens while Okayo has.
The 2000 Sydney Olympic bronze medalist, who won the women's half-marathon in Lisbon, said she would love to win London for a third time before retiring.
She said her only disappointment was that Radcliffe would not be present.
Okayo, who has set course records in each of her last three marathons, expressed similar sentiments.
Prize money for the winner in each race will amount to US$55,000 with an extra US$125,000 for a world record.
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