Wanjiru, Kirui and their compatriot Duncan Kibet praised the Virgin London Marathon organisers for enabling them to travel to the race despite the recent chaos of airport closures following the volcanic eruption in Iceland.

The party of elite athletes, which also included Eritrea’s world half marathon champion Zersenay Tadese and Romania’s Olympic women’s champion Constantina Dita, arrived in London at 5.30pm on Thursday on a chartered flight from Madrid after travelling for days from all parts of Europe, Africa and South America.

Wanjiru and Kirui were two of six Kenyan runners who were picked up in Nairobi by a Gulf Stream jet chartered by the organisers in Barcelona. The plane then flew to Asmara, in Eritrea, via Djibouti to collect the world half marathon champion Zersenay Tadese and his fellow Eritrean Yonas Kifle, the Djibouti stop a necessary way to get around political restrictions on entering Eritrea.

The jet then flew its elite cargo to Madrid, via Luxor (for refuelling), where athletes from all over the world were gathering.

There, they were looked after by Miguel Mostaza, technical director of the Madrid Marathon, who found them hotel rooms and training facilities.

"I'm so tired," said Wanjiru on his arrival.

"I am a little worried now but after a good sleep I will start to look forward to it from tomorrow.

"I like running here."

The following day he did indeed appear to be looking forward to the race. "I feel ready now," said Wanjiru, adding that although he had missed three weeks of training in January because of a back injury, he had been preparing well since.

His compatriot, Kibet, commented: "It was a long and tiring journey, but by Sunday we should be completely over the travelling."

Tadese (pictured), meanwhile, is looking forward to making a better impression in London than he did on his marathon debut last year, when he had to drop out after 35km having followed the searing early pace set by Wanjiru and the leading pack.

But Eritrea’s first ever Olympic medallist – he took 10,000m bronze in 2004 - has had what he believes is ideal preparation for his second marathon attempt, having broken Wanjiru’s world half marathon record by 10 seconds in Lisbon last month, setting a new mark of 58min 23sec.

"That was the perfect preparation for the London marathon," he said, adding that his performance in the capital last year had been undermined by the fact that he had been ill after competing in the World Cross Country Championships.

"The marathon is not easy,” he said with a grin.

"And there are some strong athletes here, like Sammy and Abel.

"But I will do my best.

"I’m going to run good."

Dita, who is running in London for the ninth time, added: "I am not sure I would have been here if it wasn't for this flight.

"I am so relieved to be here.

"After all the uncertainty, I want to be the best I can on Sunday."

Also on the flight were 17 British citizens who had been struggling to get home from Spain.

Two families of five, plus a pregnant woman and her husband, were among the Britons who were offered free places on the special flight.

When the Marathon organisers realised there would be spare seats on the plane they contacted the British Embassy who arranged for the stranded travellers to get home.

"We spent the flight trying to recognise the athletes," said Ross Wealands from Kent, husband of pregnant Poppy.

"I'll definitely be watching the marathon with my mates on Sunday and pointing out who I was flying with today.

"We're really grateful for the lift."

Altogether the Virgin London Marathon spent nearly £150,000 from its contingency funds to ensure its elite fields are again the best in the world.

"I don't think we've ever hired a jet before," said race director Dave Bedford.

"But in the end I think it was pretty good value for money.

"You can't put on an event without a contingency fund and the amount we spent is well within that.

"For us, it's about maintaining the quality of the event rather than bean counting.

"I believe now we will have the best fields ever in the most challenging circumstances we have ever faced.

"I expect to see some incredible performances on Sunday."

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