BOSTON -- The world’s top three ranked women marathoners will compete in the 111th running of the Boston Marathon, John Hancock Financial Services announced.

Olympian and American Record Holder Deena Kastor is set to compete against returning Boston Champion Rita Jeptoo and World Marathon Majors Leader Jelena Prokopcuka.

American Deena Kastor leads the charge and comes into the race having run the fastest marathon in the world last year. She earned the No. 1 ranking by Track & Field News for her unstoppable 2:19:36 win in London, where she also improved her existing American record.

Jeptoo, 25, is a rising star in the sport and brings strong credentials to the race. Winning the first two marathons she entered in Milan and Stockholm, Jeptoo then placed seventh at the 2005 World Championships. After her Boston Marathon win last year, she ran the fourth-fastest 20K of all time and then went on to finish a strong fourth in the New York City Marathon.

Prokopcuka, of Latvia, who as the reigning leader of the World Marathon Majors series, announced her commitment to return to Boston earlier this month. A three-time Olympian, Prokopcuka holds multiple national records on the road and track and has won the New York City Marathon the past two years.