Boston Marathon attracts fastest fields for 2012

Mutai, the first man to set course records in Boston (a world-best 2:03:02) and New York (2:05:06) in the same year, will be challenged by former New York champion Gebre Gebremariam (2:04:53), who was third here last spring, Frankfurt runner-up Levy Matebo (2:05:16), Rotterdam and Amsterdam winner Wilson Chebet (2:05:27), 2010 Boston victor Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot (2:05:52), Laban Korir (2:06:05), and Wesley Korir (2:06:15) and Bernard Kipyego (2:06:29), who were second and third in Chicago.

In the absence of familiar faces Ryan Hall and Meb Keflezighi, who last month qualified for the US team for London and who’ve placed among the top three here, Antonio Vega and Jason Hartmann will be the top hopes to end an American drought that has been unbroken since 1983.

Kilel (2:22:36), who was chased to the wire by Desiree Davila last year, again will be up against Kenyan countrywomen Sharon Cherop (2:22:42) and Caroline Rotich (2:24:26), who were third and fourth. But she’ll also face strong opposition from Ethiopia’s Firehiwot Dado (2:23:15) and Buzunesh Deba (2:23:19), who went 1-2 in New York, as well as Frankfurt winner Mamitu Daska (2:21:59), 2006 champion Rita Jeptoo (2:23:38), former world medalist Aselefech Mergia (2:19:31) and a quartet of Russians led by former runner-up Tatyana Pushkareva (2:26:14).

With Davila and Kara Goucher, last year’s first two American finishers, joining Marblehead native Shalane Flanagan in London, the Boston field will be without a top domestic challenger for the second time in three years.