Desisa, Jeptoo Lead International Elite Team In 2014 Boston Marathon
BOSTON (CBS) - Defending Boston Marathon champions Lelisa Desisa and Rita Jeptoo will return to defend their titles this April, but they'll be challenged by the fastest field ever assembled for this race.
The elite international field was announced by race sponsor John Hancock International Tuesday, with seven men in the field who have run a marathon under 2:05:30, including Desisa, who is ranked number one in the world by Track and Field News.
Dennis Kimetto, who is ranked second may be Desisa's strongest challenger. He holds the world record in the 25K and has a personal best 2:03:45 in winning the 2013 Chicago Marathon.
On the women's side, nine women have personal best times under 2:23.
The top four women from the 2013 Boston Marathon return with Jeptoo, Meseret Hailu, Sharon Cherop and Shalane Flanagan of Marblehead.
Read: Deep American Elite Team In 2014 Boston Marathon
After winning Boston for the second time, Jeptoo went on to win Chicago in 2:19:57 and was the only woman in the world to break 2:20 last year.
Here is the complete list of elite runners in the 2014 Boston Marathon released Tuesday with their personal best time and country.
MEN
Moses Mosop 2:03:06 (Boston, 2011) Kenya
Dennis Kimetto 2:03:45 (Chicago 2013) CR Kenya
Lelisa Desisa 2:04:45 (Dubai, 2013) Ethiopia
Gebregziabher Gebremariam 2:04:53 (Boston, 2011) Ethiopia
Markos Geneti 2:04:54 (Dubai, 2012) Ethiopia
Wilson Chebet 2:05:27 (Rotterdam, 2011) Kenya
Tilahun Regassa 2:05:27 (Chicago, 2012) Ethiopia
Shami Dawud 2:05:42 (Dubai, 2012) Ethiopia
Eric Ndiema 2:06:07 (Amsterdam, 2011) Kenya
Frankline Chepkwony 2:06:11 (Eindhoven, 2012) Kenya
Micah Kogo 2:06:56 (Chicago, 2013) Kenya
Adil Annani 2:07:43 (London, 2012) Morocco
Paul Lonyangata 2:07:44 (Xiamen, 2013) Kenya
Dathan Ritzenhein 2:07:47 (Chicago, 2012) USA
Joel Kimurer 2:07:48 (Gongju, 2013) Kenya
Lusapho April 2:08:32 (Hannover, 2013) CR South Africa
Mebrahtom Keflezighi 2:09:08 (Houston, 2012) USA
Brett Gotcher 2:10:36 (Houston, 2010) USA
Jeffrey Hunt 2:11:00 (Beppu, 2010) Australia
Jason Hartmann 2:11:06 (Chicago 2010) USA
Nicholas Arciniaga 2:11:30 (Houston, 2011) USA
Vitaliy Shafar 2:11:52 (Frankfurt, 2013) Ukraine
Jeffrey Eggleston 2:12:03 (Chicago, 2012) USA
WOMEN
Mare Dibaba 2:19:52 (Dubai, 2012) Ethiopia
Rita Jeptoo 2:19:57 (Chicago, 2013) Kenya
Jemima Jelagat Sumgong 2:20:48 (Chicago, 2013) Kenya
Meseret Hailu Debele 2:21:09 (Amsterdam, 2012) CR Ethiopia
Eunice Kirwa 2:21:41 (Amsterdam, 2012) Kenya
Sharon Cherop 2:22:28 (Berlin, 2013) Kenya
Caroline Kilel 2:22:34 (Frankfurt, 2013) Kenya
Desiree Davila Linden 2:22:38 (Boston, 2011) USA
Flomena Chepchichir Chumba 2:23:00 (Frankfurt, 2013) Kenya
Buzunesh Deba 2:23:19 (New York, 2011) Ethiopia
Tatiana Petrova Arkhipova 2:23:29 (London, 2012) Russia
Aleksandra Duliba 2:23:44 (Chicago, 2013) NR Belarus
Yeshi Esayias 2:24:06 (Frankfurt, 2013) Ethiopia
Philes Ongori 2:24:20 (Rotterdam, 2011) Kenya
Belaynesh Oljira 2:25:01 (Dubai, 2013) Ethiopia
Shalane Flanagan 2:25:38 (Houston, 2012) USA
Yolanda Caballero 2:26:17 (Boston, 2011) Colombia
Amy Hastings 2:27:03 (Los Angeles, 2011) USA
Lanni Marchant 2:28:00 (Toronto, 2013) Canada
Serena Burla 2:28:01 (Amsterdam, 2013) USA
Noriko Higuchi 2:28:49 (Tokyo, 2011) Japan
Adriana Nelson 2:28:52 (London, 2008) USA
Adriana Aparecida da Silva 2:29:17 (Tokyo, 2012) Brazil
Tune in to the 118th Boston Marathon on April 21 on WBZ-TV, the only station with start-to-finish coverage of the race!