Ethiopia's Guye Adola favourite for Paris Marathon

Ethiopia's Guye Adola is favourite to win Sunday's Paris Marathon which takes a very different route from that which Olympic marathon hopefuls will face in less than 500 days' time.

The 32-year-old, who won the Berlin Marathon in 2021, is the only participant in the French capital to have a finish in under 2hr 04min to their name.

He'll face Kenya's Elisha Rotich -- who has held the course record since 2021 with 2hr 04min 21sec -- and Hilary Kipsambu.

However, some of the star names will not be on the starting line, which according to France record holder Morhad Amdouni who came third last year, is down to them wanting "flatter and rolling routes".

Some athletes are also giving Paris a miss due to preparations for the World Championships in August.

The 42.195 km-route kicks off on the iconic Champs Elysees and then heads through the Bois de Vincennes park and along the Seine river, before looping around the Bois de Boulogne and ending near the Arc de Triomphe.

Organisers have made a slight tweak to the route this year with an earlier exit from the Bois de Boulogne.

The route is different to that of the Olympic marathon next year which starts at Paris' historic Hotel de Ville, or town hall, before heading towards Versailles and returning to the central Esplanade des Invalides.

Among the women competitors Sunday are Kenya's Ruth Chebitok and Helah Kiprop and Ethiopians Etagene Woldu and Yeshi Chekole.

More than 52,000 people are expected to take part in the event.