A look ahead to Sunday’s TCS New York City Marathon

Two of the four fastest marathoners in history headline the men s field in one of the world s most prestigious 26.2 mile events, the TCS New York City Marathon, on Sunday.

Geoffrey Mutai will be going for his third straight win, his victories being either side of the 2012 event that was cancelled because of Hurricane Sandy.

The Kenyan was the quickest in history with 2:03:03 until Dennis Kimetto clocked 2:02:57 recently, although Mutai s time was ineligible for record purposes as it was set on the downhill Boston course.

The world record-holder before Kimetto was Wilson Kipsang, who will go head-to-head with Mutai in New York.

World records won t be on the cards this weekend, though, given the hilly nature of the course, but great racing should be assured, thanks in part to the absence of pacemakers.

Ethiopia s Lelisa Desisa, the 2013 world silver medallist, is the third quickest in the field with his winning time of 2:04:45 from Dubai. Gebre Gebremarian is the other sub-2:05 man in the line-up and the former world cross-country champion will be looking to regain the title he won in 2010.

Kenya s Peter Kirui, Michael Kipyego and Micah Kogo are three others in the field who have run below 2:07.

Meb Keflezighi, who in 2009 became the first American winner in New York since 1982, shoulders domestic hopes again.

The Brits on the elite list are Craig Hopkins,who has a PB of 2:16, and James Kelly, who has clocked 2:19.

Mary Keitany, the second fastest woman in history, stars in the women s race. After winning back-to-back Londons in 2011 and 2012, she was just fourth at the Olympics, but after her 65-minute win at the Bupa Great North Run, appears to be in top shape. However, New York hasn t been the happiest of hunting grounds for the Kenyan as she has placed third on her two attempts.

Kenya s Edna Kiplagat, the winner at the last two world championships and in this year s London, lines up after her below-par fifth at the Great North. Bezunesh Bekele, who has been second in the last two editions of the New York Marathon and clocked 2:19:59 in finishing runner-up in Boston this year, could be a threat. Ethiopia s Firehiwot Dado tries to regain the title she won in 2011. Kenya s Jemima Sumgong, who has run 2:20:41, is another to watch.

Latvia s 38-year-old Jelena Prokopcuka, who won in 2005 and 2006, cannot be discounted after her 2:24 in March. The top European hope, though, is Italy s Valeria Straneo, silver medallist at both the 2013 Worlds and 2014 Europeans.

The rejuvenated Deena Kastor, who at 41 ran a 69:37 half in the build-up, could challenge the world over-40 best of 2:24:53. Desiree Linden and Kara Goucher could also threaten for the home nation.

Kurt Fearnley, Marcel Hug, Tatyana McFadden and Amanda McGrory head the wheelchair line-ups, which include Brits Simon Lawson and Shelly Woods.

See next week’s Athletics Weekly magazine for reports, pictures and results from the TCS New York City Marathon

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