Defending champion Peres Jepchirchir and world record holder Ruth Chepng’etich have pulled out of the London Marathon.

The London Marathon is set for Sunday, April 27, and Chepng’etich said she is not ready for the event even though she had been entered as a participant.

“I’m not in the right place mentally or physically to race my best in London, and I am therefore withdrawing,” Chepng’etich said.

She is the first woman to clock a sub-two-hour-and-ten-minute time at the 2024 Chicago Marathon.

Jepchirchir, who won last year’s London Marathon in a record time of two hours, 16 minutes, and 16 seconds, is injured.

“Winning last year’s London Marathon was one of the highlights of my career, and I was very much looking forward to returning this year to defend my title.

“Unfortunately, my injury has made this impossible, but I am focused on getting healthy again and hope to return to London again in the future when I’m fully fit,” Jepchirchir said.

With the absence of the two, Vivian Cheruiyot will take a spot in the elite field. She has run the London Marathon three times and won it in 2018.

Elite women’s start list

Tigst Assefa (Eth)

Sifan Hassan (Ned)

Joyciline Jepkosgei (Ken)

Megertu Alemu (Eth)

Stella Chesang (Uga)

Vivian Cheruiyot (Ken)

Haven Hailu Desse (Eth)

Susanna Sullivan (US)

Charlotte Purdue (GB)

Sofiia Yaremchuk (Italy)

Rose Harvey (GB)

Phily Bowden (GB)

Molly Bookmyer (USA)

Eilish Mccolgan (GB)

Holly Archer (GB)