British Paralympic great David Weir will aim for a ninth wheelchair title as he competes for the 20th time in his home town.
The 39-year-old retired from track racing in 2017 and says he is relishing concentrating on the road as he closes in on Tokyo 2020.
“I’m just focused on the marathon now, and going to Tokyo,” he said.
“I don’t miss the track at all, and I enjoy marathon training. I’m happy doing just one event and I’m getting summers off, socialising and seeing my kids more.”
Weir finished fifth on his London Marathon debut in 2000 and has since come home first in 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2017 and 2018.
One of his chief threats this year is Dan Romanchuk. The 20-year-old American beat both Weir and Swiss rival Marcel Hug, 33, to win the Chicago and New York titles last year. Hug took the London title in 2014 and 2016.
“I’ll have a race plan for Sunday but if Dan goes off quickly we’ll have to go with him,” said Weir.
“It depends what happens on the day. The pack’s often there at the end in London. We’ll see.”
Australian Madison de Rozario, 25, will defend her women’s title against in-form Swiss Manuela Schar. Schar, 34, is the current holder of the Berlin, Chicago, New York, Tokyo and Boston titles. Adding London to her collection would complete a clean sweep of the major world marathons.
