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Elite race coordinator Dave Bedford is hoping for a world record at this Sunday’s Virgin Money London Marathon when some of the greatest male marathon racers of all time go head-to-head through the streets of the British capital in pursuit of one of the biggest prizes in global running.
Bedford has been assembling the event’s world class fields for more than two decades and believes this year he has a near perfect blend of record breakers and race winners that could produce one of the classic finishes in 36 years of London Marathons.
Bedford’s line-up for 2016 pitches last year’s in-form winner Eliud Kipchoge, recently crowned the Series IX Abbott World Marathon Majors champion, against the speed of former and current world record breakers, Wilson Kipsang and Dennis Kimetto, plus the racing nouse of world champion Ghirmay Ghebreslassie, the emerging talent of New York champion Stanley Biwott and the unpredictable brilliance of track great Kenenisa Bekele.
It all adds up to a marathon mix to match the men’s race of 2002 when Khalid Khannouchi outsprinted distance running legends Paul Tergat and Haile Gebrselassie to not only take the title but break the world record too, the only time the men’s world mark has been set in London.
“The ideal circumstances is a fast race and what you really want is people being competitive,” says Bedford. “And of course in 2002 you had that amazing race and the world record too.
“So, another close race and world record would be lovely.”
As for who will come out on top if such a race unfurls in five days time, Bedford has no hesitation in picking Kipchoge as the man to beat.
“His win last year, and in Berlin last September, indicates that whenever he runs he is ready,” says Bedford. “He’s not had a bad one yet, so he will be the odds on favourite with the bookies without any doubt.”
Kipsang should again be his closest challenger, Bedford predicts. The 2012 and 2014 London Marathon champion was second last year when Kipchoge beat him by just five seconds, but he dropped out of the World Championship race last August and could only finish fourth in New York in November.
“He’d have to be on sparkling form to win,” says Bedford. “And it would almost be an upset if that happened.”
Following his New York win, Biwott may be the other man to watch. Bedford describes the man who was second here in 2014 and fourth last year as “one who’s been coming through steadily.”
“Now I think we’ll see him at his best and on a good day he could also be a contender,” he says.
World champion Ghebreslassie, on the other hand, is “a dark horse” whose win in Beijing showed he has the talent to do well in a tough field.
“The fact that Kipsang and Kimetto were in that race too and didn’t finish shouldn’t worry us,” he says. “But it was a great win for him and you can’t be a world champion and mug at the same time.
“But whether he can match it with these guys running 2:03:30 to 2:04 pace remains to be seen.”
Kipchoge, Kipsang, Kimetto, Biwott, Bekele and Ghebreslassie will all appear at a press conference at 12:00 at the Tower Hotel, London, on Wednesday 20 April.
Source: Virgin Money London Marathon
