Ethiopian Olympic and World Championships medallist Tsegaye Kebede has also been added to the field.

Mutai's time of 2 hours 3min 02sec in winning this year's Boston Marathon is not eligible for record purposes as it was recorded on a point-to-point rather than a looped course, but he will present a serious challenge to his namesake Emmanuel Mutai, winner of this year's Virgin London Marathon, already announced for the race on November 6 along with 2010 champion Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia, 2009 champion Meb Keflezighi, fellow Americans Bobby Curtis and Ed Moran  and Olympians Juan Luis Barrios of Mexico and Jaouad Gharib of Morocco.


The reigning women's champion from Boston, Caroline Kilel, and London winner Mary Keitany have also been added to the field along with 2011 Los Angeles Marathon champion Buzunesh Deba.

Previously announced runners in the women's race  include defending champion and 2011 World Champion Edna Kiplagat of Kenya, three-time United States Olympian Jen Rhines, New Zealand Olympian Kim Smith, Jo Pavey of Great Britain, Portugal's championship long-distance duo of Jéssica Augusto and Ana Dulce Félix, and US runners Lauren Fleshman and Molly Pritz making their marathon debuts.

Meanwhile, course record holders Kurt Fearnley of Australia and Edith Wolf-Hunkeler of Switzerland, and 2010 winner Tatyana McFadden of the United States have been announced as additions to the wheelchair race.

"We have a star-studded international field for the ING New York City Marathon 2011 that brings together an incredible lineup of champions from this year's Boston, London, and LA marathons," said New York Road Runners President and chief executive Mary Wittenberg.

"What a treat to have Geoffrey Mutai, who ran the fastest time ever recorded for a marathon at Boston this year, in the race, along with Buzunesh Deba, this year's LA winner, here again to compete in the city she lives and trains in."

Since winning Boston, Mutai has been unbeatable on the roads, winning the BAA 10km in Boston on June 26, in 27min 19sec, and the Giro Podistico Internazionale di Castelbuono 10K in Sicily on July 26 in 29:05.

Kebede, 24, of Ethiopia, won the bronze medal in the marathons at both the 2008 Olympic Games and the 2009 World Championships.

One of the world's most decorated marathoners, he's won Fukuoka twice, in 2008 and 2009, Paris in 2008 and London in 2010.

He has a 2:05:18 personal best, and will be making his ING New York City Marathon debut.


Keitany, 29, of Kenya, won the 2011 Virgin London Marathon in a personal best time of 2:19:19, the fastest time in the world this year.

She finished third at the ING New York City Marathon last year and is also the world record holder at the half marathon with 1:05:50 and 25km in 1:19:53.

Kilel, 30, of Kenya, won the 2011 Boston Marathon by two seconds in a personal best time of 2:22:36 after a thrilling stretch duel with American Desiree Davila.

She has also recorded marathon victories in Frankfurt in 2010, Ljubljana 2009, Taipei 2008, and Nairobi 2005.

Deba, 24, an Ethiopian who lives full-time in New York City, has recorded two marathon victories this year, setting personal best times with both efforts.

Last March she won the Honda Los Angeles Marathon in 2:26:34, then won the Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon last June in an even faster 2:23:31.

She won four marathons in 2010, and finished 10th at the ING New York City Marathon.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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