Eldoret promises fanfare as Kipchoge faces Bekele in London.

Eldoret reverberates back to the limelight as world marathon record holder Eliud Kipchoge faces his nemesis, Kenenisa Bekele, in Virgin London Marathon, this Sunday.

But Eldoret will have another golden chance to prove its athletics prowess, reiterating that running comes second to religion in this part of the globe, just literally.

Governor Jackson Mandago is expected to lead tens of thousands of fans, watching the London showdown from the big screen mounted by the County Government of Uasin Gishu.

Renewing rivalry

It will be a special opportunity for Kipchoge and Bekele to renew their rivalry, after a series of past showdowns majorly in the track.

Kipchoge beat Bekele to bronze as he won 5000m at the 2003 World Championships in Paris, the Kenyan setting a championship record of 12:52.79 and Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj settling for silver.

A year later, Bekele won silver as Kipchoge wrapped up the podium finishers at the 2004 Olympic Games. El Guerrouj won the 12 laps race.

In Beining Games, Bekele set a 5000m Olympic record of 12:57.82 minutes to win, relegating Kipchoge to silver and Edwin Soi to bronze.

The last time two rivals met in a 26 mile distance was in 2016 London Marathon where Kipchoge won, Stanley Biwott second and Bekele coming home third.

But Kipchoge, a man who has won nine of the ten marathons he has competed in (the only loss is silver), hopes his “No Human is Limited’ maxim pedals him to victory.

Both have years of track running, which is a crucial pre-requisite to successful and endurance in road running.

Apart from Kipchoge and Bekele, a fearsome line-up is also in the chase for Sh 31 million winning prize, excluding bonuses.

Kipchoge will be seeking a fifth bite at the cherry as the English capital hosts one of the six big prized Abbot World Marathon Majors (WMM).