Addis Ababa — Sunday's Toyota Great Ethiopian Run has a field of more than 30,000, making it the biggest ever road race to be staged in Africa.

More than 12 ambassadors from the international community are taking part, vying for the Ethiopian Airlines Ambassador's Award for the first male and female ambassadors across the line.

A number of international guests and representatives of media agencies have arrived in Addis Ababa for the race, including Mary Wittenberg from the New York City Marathon. And, former 5,000m world record holder David Moorcroft from Great Britain has arrived.

Eshetu Wondimu, who finished 2nd in last Sunday's Seven Hills 15 km race in Holland, will start as favorite in the men's race, but is likely to face a stiff challenge from a group of eight Kenyan athletes who arrived here yesterday.

In the women's race, Deribu Alemu has a chance of running her first big domestic title after her victory last month in the New Delhi Half-Marathon. To do this she will have to get the better of her compatriots Atsede Habtamu (5th in the 2007 IAAF World Road Running Championships in Italy last month) and a former two-time winner of the race Genet Getaneh.