2004 Olympic champion Stefano Baldini (ITA), Jaouad Gharib (MAR), World champion (2003 & 2005) and Khalid Khannouchi (USA), former World record Holder, winner in London 2002 and three times Chicago champion, join the 2006 Flora London Marathon men's elite field.

They are joined by Martin Lel (KEN), 2005 London champion, Evans Rutto, 2004 London champion and Felix Limo (KEN), first in Chicago this year, in racing the previously announced trio of Paul Tergat (KEN), World record holder, second in London 2001 and 2002, and this year's New York champion; Haile Gebrselassie (ETH), two-time Olympic and four-time World 10,000m champion, and Hendrick Ramaala (RSA), second in New York 2005, champion in New York 2004.

If this was not enough Shigeru Aburaya (JPN), fifth in the Olympic Games 2005, Tsuyoshi Ogata (JPN), third in the 2005 World Champs, Shami Mubarak Hassan (QAT), champion in Venice this year, and runner up in the World Half Marathon Championships 2005, and Christopher Isegwe (TAN), second in the 2005 World Championships, also enter this stellar line-up which also welcomes back Britain's Jon Brown (GBR), fourth in the Olympics. (See list below for fastest times.)

"I am certain this is the strongest men's field we have ever seen in London. It will be a bookies nightmare! This race will go down as a true classic." said Race Director Dave Bedford.

Over 90,000 UK applications for the 2006 ballot of the Flora London Marathon, taking place on Sunday 23rd April were received. Over 34m for charity was raised in 2005.

Elite men's field fastest times:

Paul Tergat (KEN) 2:04:55
Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 2:05:38
Evans Rutto (KEN) 2:05:50
Felix Limo (KEN) 2:06:14
Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 2:06:20
Jaouad Gharib (MAR) 2:07:02
Martin Lel (KEN) 2:07:26
Stefano Baldini (ITA) 2:07:29
Shigeru Aburaya (JPN) 2:07:52
Hendrick Ramaala (RSA) 2:08:32
Tsuyoshi Ogata (JPN) 2:08:37
Shami Mubarak Hassan (QAT) 2:09:22
Jon Brown (GBR) 2:09:31
Christopher Isegwe (TAN) 2:10:21