Record-holder Radcliffe faces top field in '09 London Marathon

LONDON (AP) -- World record-holder Paula Radcliffe will return to the London Marathon next year in a bid to win the event for a fourth time.

The British runner has missed the London race the past four years. She'll face a strong field on April 26 that includes defending champion Irina Mikitenko of Germany and two other former London winners.

Radcliffe, winner in 2002, 2003 and 2005, will aim to match the achievement of Norway's Ingrid Kristiansen, who won the London Marathon four times between 1984 and 1988.

She said Tuesday that "it's fantastic to be back," adding that she's hungry to win back her London title after her recent win in the New York City Marathon.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.