The record-setting champions from a year ago return to defend their titles for the 2005 Honolulu Marathon.

Russia's Lyubov Morgunova and Kenya's Jimmy Muindi headline the 26.2-mile race, which begins at 5 a.m. next Sunday. The race starts at the corner of Ala Moana and the Queen Street extension, heads out to Hawai'i Kai and finishes at Kapi'olani Park.

More than 26,000 participants have signed up, and organizers are expecting about 28,000 by the start of next Sunday's race, which would make it the largest Honolulu Marathon since 2002.

Last year's race featured 25,671 participants.

Both Muindi, 32, and Morgunova, 34, lead strong contingencies from their home nations.

Morgunova, the Honolulu champ in 2000 and 2001 as well, holds the women's course record of 2 hours, 27 minutes, 33 seconds.

She leads the pack of fellow Russians Alevtina Ivanova, 30, and twins Olesya and Elena Nurgalieva, 29. Russia's Tatyana Chulakh, 23, is the pace-setter.

Ivanova finished second in 2003, third in 2002, and fourth last year. The Nurgalievas will run in their first Honolulu Marathon.

Russia's Olga Romanova, 25, who finished fourth last year, twisted her ankle and is doubtful to run this year.

Japan's Eri Hayakawa, 30, the winner in 2003 and runner-up last year, should contend with Morgunova for the title. Also from Japan is Mina Ogawa, 30, with sixth-place finishes the past two years.

Hayakawa and Ogawa will be cheered on by thousands of Japanese runners, expected to number around 18,000.

On the men's side, defending champion Muindi, who will be running in his 12th race, also won in 1999, 2000 and 2003. He set the course record last year, in 2:11:12.

His countrymen, Joseph Riri, David Mutua, Eric Nzioki, Soloman Wachira, and Nicholus Muindi are expected to push Jimmy Muindi. Kenya's Wilberforce Talel is the pace-setter.

Riri, 32, Nzioki, 27, and Wachira, 29, are making their Honolulu debuts. Mutua, 28, finished second last year, and Nicholus Muindi, 22, was the pace setter in last year's race and did not finish.

Three-time winner Mbarak Hussein, 40, a former Kenyan, became a U.S. citizen last year. He won in Honolulu in 1998, 2001 and 2002, and will be running in his 11th Honolulu Marathon.

Also entered is South Africa's Josiah Thugwane, 34, who won in 1995.

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.