Tufa broke clear of Kenya’s Mary Keitany in the final three miles last year to triumph at the 35th running of the race in a time of 2 hours 23min 22sec.

It saw her become only the third Ethiopian to win the London Marathon title, joining Derartu Tulu and Aselefech Mergia.

Mergia was awarded the 2010 crown following the retrospective disqualifications for doping of Russia’s Liliya Shobukhova and Inga Abitova from the race.

The last outing for the 29-year-old Tufa came at the 2015 New York City Marathon, where she finished third behind winner Keitany and runner-up Mergia in a time of 2:25:50.

She is confident that the five-and-a-half month lay-off will stand her in good stead as she bids to show on Sunday (April 24) that her winning performance in London last year was no fluke. 

"I was very surprised for my victory last year," Tufa, sixth at last year's International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in Beijing, said here today.  

"I had a lot of races in 2015 and after New York I took a break.

"I want to win again and I did a lot to prepare myself for this race."

Tufa has claimed she does not know what kind of performance is necessary to be picked by Ethiopia for this year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. 

She hopes a strong performance here, though, will earn her selection. 

"If I do run well here, I hope I will be selected and have a chance to go for the Olympic title," said Tufa. 

Buoyed by the successful defence of her New York City Marathon title, Keitany is bidding to become only the fourth female runner to win the London Marathon three times.

"I have won London twice and the atmosphere is very welcoming," said the 34-year-old, whose time of 2:18:37 is the fastest on the start list for London.

"I feel very much at home competing there."

Keitany’s compatriot Florence Kiplagat, who finished second in 2014, will also be competing in her fifth London Marathon.