Bekele Withdraws with Injury as Mutai and Mergia Added to Impressive London Marathon Fields

World record holder in 5000m and 10000m Kenenisa Bekele has withdrawn from next month´s London Marathon due to achilles injury, the meet organizers announced on Monday.

Last year in April, Bekele made a brilliant marathon debut in Paris by setting a  new course record of 2:05:04. In October the three time Olympic champion finished in fourth place at Chicago marathon in 2:05:51 and in January  he quit during the Dubai marathon with hamstring cramps.

Meanwhile the London Marathon field has been boosted with a former Boston, New York and Berlin marathon winner Geoffrey Mutai and Aselefech Mergia, who won her third Dubai Marathon in January in 2:20:02.

As of now, the elite men's race in the London Marathon contains nine sub-2:05 runners, and the women's elite race eight sub-2:21 runners.

In London, Mutai will face current marathon world record holder Dennis Kimetto and former marathon record holder Wilson Kipsang. As well in the race will be 2011 London winner Emmanuel Mutai.

The women´s field will lead defending champion Edna Kiplagat, who will go up against former London marathon winners Priscah Jeptoo and Mary Keitany and recently added Aselefech Mergia of Ethiopia.