Edna Ngeringwony Kiplagat of
Kenya crosses the finish line to win the women's marathon during the
IAAF World Athletics Championships
Pushing them all the way this year will be 2013 champion Priscah Jeptoo and Mary Keitany, winner in 2011 and 2012.
The field contains 10 women who have sub-two hour, 25 minute times to their name.
"Winning
my first London Marathon title on my fourth attempt last year was a
special moment for me," said Edna Kiplagat, 35, who was third on her
London debut in 2011 and has twice been runner-up.
"Now I have tasted success in London, I am determined to win again. But I know it will be tougher than ever in 2015.
"Florence will
be hungry to win after getting so close last year, and both Priscah and
Mary will be doing their best to regain the number one spot.
Keitany
made an impressive return last year when she won the New York City
Marathon in November after taking a year out in 2013 to have her second
child.
Undefeated over the
London course, she has the quickest personal best in this year's lineup
by more than a minute with 2:18.37 and is aiming to become the fourth
woman to win the London Marathon three times.
Feyse
Tadese and Tigist Tufa of Ethiopia look the only realistic challengers
to the Kenyans, while the European challenge is led by three women who
have all run sub-2:25 -- Russia's 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Tatyana
Arkhipova, Ukraine's Tetyana Gamera-Shmyrko and last year's European
champion Christelle Daunay of France.
Britain's
world record holder and three-times London winner Paula Radcliffe also
plans to take part in what she says will be her final marathon.