Brigid Kosgei, the defending champion and fastest female marathon runner in history, will return to the Virgin Money London Marathon in 2020.

Kosgei (KEN) broke Paula Radcliffe’s 16-year-old marathon world record at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon last October by winning in an incredible time of 2:14:04. The record-breaking run came six months after the 25-year-old won the Virgin Money London Marathon for the first time and she is looking forward to returning to London again this year.

Kosgei said: “I am very much looking forward to returning to the Virgin Money London Marathon. Last year was an incredible year for me and it started by winning in London. Coming back will be very special and I hope it can be the start of another memorable year.”

Kosgei is joined in the elite women’s field at the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon by a stellar list of rivals, four of whom have also run sub 2:19 marathons.

The list includes 2018 Virgin Money London Marathon champion Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN), three-time BMW Berlin Marathon champion Gladys Cherono (KEN), 2019 Valencia Marathon champion Roza Dereje (ETH) and the current world champion Ruth Chepngetich (KEN).

Also on the Start Line will be the world half marathon record holder and 2019 TCS New York City Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei who is joint top of the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM) Series XIII leaderboard alongside Kosgei and Chepngetich.

The AWMM series is based on the results of the six biggest marathons in the world: the Virgin Money London Marathon, BMW Berlin Marathon, Bank of America Chicago Marathon, TCS New York City Marathon, Tokyo Marathon and Boston Marathon. Series XIII, which started at the 2019 Bank of America Chicago Marathon and will finish at the same race in 2020, also includes the 2020 Olympic Games marathon.

Spencer Barden, Head of Elite Athletes at the Virgin Money London Marathon, said: “We are proud to have assembled another world-class elite women’s field for the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon, led by our defending champion Brigid Kosgei.

“Brigid’s run at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon was one of the most remarkable athletic performances of recent years. Paula Radcliffe’s world record had stood for so long and was one of the great markers in modern athletics so for Brigid to beat it and beat it so comprehensively was incredible.

“It is a mouth-watering prospect to see what she can do on her return to the Virgin Money London Marathon. But there are plenty of other fantastic athletes in the field including the 2018 Virgin Money London Marathon champion Vivian Cheruiyot and the world champion Ruth Chepngetich.

“To have five women who have run sub-2:19 and the TCS New York City Marathon champion on top of that illustrates the amazing depth we will have. This is a field that is truly fitting for what will be the 40^th race in the history of the London Marathon.”