Get on super Sammy at 9-2

Sammy Wanjiru looks a good bet to win what promises to be a vintage renewal of the Flora London Marathon on Sunday.

The young Kenyan is a standout 9-2 with Paddy Power and that is well worth taking. Ladbrokes are far more cautious at 3-1, having initially offered only 5-2.

Wanjiru would be an odds-on chance if the race were run over 13 miles, having three times broken the world half-marathon record. However, he showed that he boasts stamina, as well as speed, when smashing the Fukuoka course record with a time of 2 hr 6 min 39 secs in November.

The 21-year-old, who is based in Japan, has said that he hopes to run two hours five minutes in London and, if he can deliver on that, could run more experienced rivals ragged.

Martin Lel, the title holder, is generally 3-1 to retain his title, while  Felix Limo his predecessor, is 6-1. World champion Luke Kibet has been cut to 16-1 despite an interrupted preparation, with  Emmanuel Mutai and Morocco’s Abderrahim Goumri are both 10-1. The latter was runner-up  in London 12 months ago and again second behind Lel in New York last November.

Betting on the women’s race has been dominated by Gete Wami, the World Marathon Majors champion, and her fellow Ethiopian Berhane Adere, the Chicago champion and national record holder. Wami is 5-2 with Paddy Power, with Adere the same price with Ladbrokes.