New York, NY (SportsNetwork. Damian Jones Jersey .com) - The 2013-14 World Marathon Majors championship concludes on Sunday with the 44th running of the New York City Marathon, in what is expected to be one of the most contentious races in history. A star-studded field of competitors will take to the streets of Americas largest city, in which competitors will be searching for a victory to knock off the current WMM leader on the mens side, Dennis Kimetto. The 30-year-old native of Kenya tops the WMM leaderboard after picking up a victory and setting a world record in Septembers Berlin Marathon. The course in New York starts across the The Narrows on Staten Island, but competitors quickly cross the Verrazano Narrows Bridge into Brooklyn. From there, runners take long trips up Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue, work their way up the East River and then cross over the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan. Once in the heart of the city, runners will shoot straight up First Avenue, make a left hook up on 135th Street over the Madison Avenue Bridge, and make their way down Fifth Avenue and into Central Park, where the race finishes up. The race has been run every year since 1970, with the exception of the 2012 season in which the event was canceled due to Hurricane Sandy. Kenyan runner Geoffrey Mutai has won each of the last two races. His 2011 victory set the course record with a time of 2:05:06. The New York City Marathon is one of the six World Marathon Majors courses. The World Marathon Majors is a competition for marathoners that spans a two-year period, and takes four of a runners highest finishes into account when determining which runner receives the prize jackpot. The runner who has the best four finishes gets the jackpot of $500,000. The six race courses are in Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, London, Chicago and New York. To be eligible for the jackpot, each athlete must compete in at least one of these qualifying courses in each of the two calendar years. New York hosts the final leg of the World Marathon Majors. In the 2014 version of the race, a mens champion will be crowned for the 2013-14 season. The two- year period overlaps, though, and this race will count toward the 2014-15 WMM series as well. On the womens side, Kenyan runner Rita Jeptoo has already captured the WMM crown and the $500,000 jackpot by taking victories in the 2013 and 2014 Boston Marathons, and the 2013 and 2014 Chicago Marathons. Jeptoo defended her 2013 Chicago title with a victory there last month, which awarded her the WMM crown. She is not in the New York field. But for the men, it all comes down to this race. Kimetto leads the WMM standings after capturing the victory in Berlin back in September, so he is not running this race. He adds his victory in Berlin to the 2013 Tokyo Marathon and the 2013 Chicago Marathon in the WMM series. The top challenger who can steal the WMM crown away from Kimetto is Wilson Kipsang, a fellow Kenyan who is making his New York debut. Kipsang has taken victories in the 2013 Berlin Marathon and the 2014 Virgin Money London Marathon, so a victory here in New York is the only thing that can help him surpass Kimetto for the title. Kimetto broke Kipsangs previous world record of 2:03:23 in Berlin not even two months ago with his 2:02:57 time. Kipsang, a 32-year-old, said hes eying the course record in New York this weekend. The two-time defending champion Mutai is also in this years field of competitors. He won back in 2011 with a time of 2:05:06 - the current course record - and then won again in 2013 after Hurricane Sandy canceled the 2012 event. Mutai looks to become the first three-time NYC Marathon winner since American Alberto Salazar captured three straight titles from 1980-1982. Another American, Bill Rodgers, won four straight titles in New York immediately before Salazars run. Ethiopian contenders Lelisa Desisa and Gebre Gebremariam will both present challenges to Kipsang and Mutai. Desisa won his marathon debut last year in Dubai in just under 2 hours, 5 minutes, and then followed that victory up with a win in the 2013 Boston Marathon. Desisa dropped out of this years Boston Marathon at the 40-kilometer mark, but won a half-marathon in October in 1:01:38. Gebremariam, a 31-year-old, has a marathon personal best of 2:04:53, and won the New York event back in 2010. Reigning World and Olympic marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich, a 25-year-old Ugandan, will certainly be a runner to watch in this years race. Kiprotich finished 12th in last years NYC race, but finished third in his last Bupa Greatest Race outing in Newcastle last month. Kiprotich is just the second man in the world to win both the Olympic and World championship marathon titles, but he wasnt able to make an impact in Aprils London Marathon. My problem was speed, and I have been working on it, Kiprotich said. I believe that it is great enough for me to put up some good challenge against that high field of elite runners. The best chance for Americans in the race falls on 2014 Boston Marathon winner Meb Keflezighi. The 39-year-old may be one of the more overlooked competitors, considering he won this event in New York back in 2009, and wasnt seen as much of a threat in Boston before he pulled ahead for the win. Keflezighi beat some big names in Boston earlier this year, including Kimetto, Desisa and Gebremariam. Defending womens champion Priscah Jeptoo, who won last years event with a time of 2:25:07, withdrew from the Nov. 2 race early in October due to a leg injury that occurred during the London Marathon. Jeptoo said she plans to come back and run in New York again in 2015. That leaves the womens side pretty open. The front-runners are Mary Keitany (of Kenya) and Buzunesh Deba (of Ethiopia). Keitany, 32, hasnt participated in a marathon since the London Olympics, which was before the birth of her second child. Since then, she has competed in just two other non-marathon races. My training has been going on very well, Keitany said. I have also had a chance to compete and test my body, but this will be the first major hurdle in my program to return to the top of marathon running. Shell be challenging for the course record, which was set by Margaret Okayo back in 2003 (2:22:31). In the second of her London Marathon wins (2012), Keitany set a blistering pace of 2:18:37, which was the fastest time since Paula Radcliffe ran a sub-2:18 back in 2005. But since she hasnt raced in a marathon since then, any form of record may be unrealistic for Keitany. Deba is from Ethiopia, but calls the Bronx her home. She finished second last year in New York with a time of 2:25:56. She had built up a lead at the 15-mile mark over Priscah Jeptoo, but then Jeptoo turned on the jets to take the win and the WMM title at the end of last season. It was the second time in as many years that Deba finished second in New York. Deba also finished second at this years Boston Marathon by running a personal best of 2:19:59. Coming into the final race of the season and the WMM title already being awarded to Rita Jeptoo, Deba will be shooting for a first-place finish. Because of the withdrawal by Priscah Jeptoo, Kenyan Jemima Sumgong was added to the list of race entrants. She has a personal best of 2:20:41, and plans on challenging for one of the top spots this year. Also, 34-year-old Kenyan Edna Kiplagat will be running in this years New York event. She finished first in New York back in 2010 with a time of 2:28:20. Kiplagat has a personal marathon best of 2:19:50. Keitany has run the New York Marathon twice in the past, and finished third both of those times with a best finish of 2:23:38 in 2011. I hope to be third-time lucky, she said. But that is easier said than done. In New York, there are no pace makers, no jokers and only serious challengers. I hope I will pass the test and get the best result. The top three American contenders on the womens side consist of Deena Kastor, Desiree Linden and Kara Goucher. American Shalane Flanagan will not compete after finishing seventh in the 2014 Boston Marathon and third in the 2014 Berlin Marathon (which she finished with a personal-best 2:21:14). Kastor, a 41-year-old, holds the American record for the fastest marathon at 2:19:36, which she set in 2006 in London. She might be the best hope for the American women, who havent won the New York City Marathon since Miki Gorman did so back in 1977. Its the final event of the 2014 marathon season, which means the final try for Kipsang to unseat Kimetto at the top of the WMM standings. The mens side will be highly competitive with the title on the line, but the women will be running for a big boost in the 2014-15 WMM race. Either way, this field of competitors is one of the deepest in marathon history, so expect fireworks in New York on Sunday. Draymond Green Jersey . He looked very comfortable Wednesday night. Konerko had a big three-run double and Gordon Beckham homered for the second straight game, leading the Chicago White Sox to an 8-3 victory over the sliding Chicago Cubs. Omri Casspi Jersey . Weise left the arena with a splint on his wrist and underwent tests to determine whether the tendon is torn. Winger Travis Moen will also miss some time after suffering a concussion in Mondays contest. http://www.nbawarriorsauthority.com/ .C., won gold in the womens 200-metre backstroke, and Dominique Bouchard of North Bay, Ont.TORONTO -- Toronto starter Mark Buehrle cant recall making a season-opening run quite like the one hes currently enjoying with the Blue Jays. The 35-year-old left-hander was in top form again Wednesday night, throwing seven innings of three-hit ball in a 10-0 rout of the Philadelphia Phillies at Rogers Centre. Buehrle (6-1) leads the American League with six victories and his earned-run average dropped to an impressive 1.91. "I dont want to ask too many questions, I dont want to try to figure out whats going on," he said. "Im just going to kind of roll with it and keep it as long as I can." Toronto exploded for nine runs in the seventh inning. Erik Kratz, Juan Francisco and Edwin Encarnacion all homered in the frame as the Blue Jays (17-17) returned to the .500 mark. Sergio Santos and Chad Jenkins completed the three-hit shutout as Toronto extended its winning streak to four games. Philadelphia starter Cliff Lee (3-3) was in form until the seventh, ending his streak of six straight quality starts. "Some balls ended up over the plate and they didnt miss them," said Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg. Buehrle put runners in scoring position on a few occasions but for the most part kept the Philadelphia batters handcuffed by mixing up his pitches and relying on a steady curve ball. "He does what he typically does," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "He keeps them off-balance, throws anything at any time and uses his defence. I dont know if I can describe it any more than that -- again." Gibbons smiled as he made the comment. He was then asked if hes getting tired of describing the steady approach of the reliable veteran, who has already gone into the seventh inning without allowing an earned run on three occasions this year. "All he does is keep winning," Gibbons added. "He does the same thing every time he wins. Just hit rewind." With two quick-working starters on the mound, the game sped along at a quick pace. Lee (3-3) retired the first seven Blue Jays in order before giving up a one-out single to Colby Rasmus in the third inning. Rasmus moved to third base on a ground-rule double by Steve Tolleson and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jose Reyes. The Phillies had threatened an inning earlier but Torontos defence kept them off the board. Marlon Byrd hit a one-out double and Tolleson made a nice play to scoop a slow roller near second base to retire Domonic Brown. Toronto right-fielder Jose Bautista recorded the third out by making a nice running catch at the warning track on a John Mayberry Jr. fly ball. Bautista showed his range again in the sixth inning with a great diving pickup on a sinking Chase Utley liner. Buehrle followed bby striking out Carlos Ruiz. Kevin Durant Jersey. . The Phillies had a runner on second base in the seventh inning but Buehrle got Cody Asche on a weak grounder for the third out. Encarnacion led off the Toronto half of the seventh with a standup triple. Philadelphia outfielder Ben Revere misplayed the ball, allowing it to bounce off the wall and roll back into centre field. "It looked like he gave up on it and it hit the bottom of the wall," Sandberg said. "Catchable ball. Things unravelled from that point forward. I could imagine there could be some frustration there with Cliff at that point. "He was out there battling and involved in a pitchers duel up to that point." Kratz took the next pitch from Lee into the second deck in left field for his second homer of the season. Dioner Navarro followed with a single and he scored when Franciscos line-drive homer barely cleared the wall in right field. "Just one of those innings where they hit everything," Lee said. "They didnt miss a pitch." Lee was pulled after giving up a one-out double to Tolleson. Mario Hollands came on in relief and threw a wild pitch to Reyes that allowed Tolleson to advance to third. Reyes walked, stole second and moved to third when Cabrera struck out on a wild pitch. The ball got away from Ruiz and Tolleson scored while Cabrera ran to first. The Phillies went to the bullpen for former Blue Jay Shawn Camp, who promptly gave up a single to Bautista. Encarnacion followed with a three-run shot to deep left-centre field for his fourth homer of the year. Kratz singled for his second hit of the inning before Navarro grounded into an inning-ending double play. "They flat out beat us in every way," Lee said. "Shut us out and scored 10 runs. Thats a pretty good beating right there." Notes: Buehrle allowed two walks and struck out six. Lee, meanwhile, allowed seven hits, six earned runs and a walk while striking out six. ... The seventh inning was Torontos highest-scoring frame since a 10-run inning against Tampa Bay on Aug. 31, 2010. ... Announced attendance was 16,446 and the game took two hours 23 minutes to play. ... Former Blue Jay A.J. Burnett (2-1) is scheduled to start for the Phillies on Thursday night. Toronto will counter with knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (2-3). ... Byrd hit a mammoth foul ball in the seventh inning. The ball curved foul and landed about 10 rows deep in the 500 level beside the left-field pole. ... Francisco now has four homers on the season. It was his first career home run off a left-handed pitcher. ... The Phillies have now lost their last seven meetings against Toronto, including five straight at Rogers Centre. ... Bautista has reached base safely in all 34 games this season. 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