Reigning champion Tigst Assefa is aiming to repeat her record-breaking London Marathon victory when she resumes her fascinating rivalry with Olympic champion Sifan Hassan and world champion Peres Jepchirchir in this year’s race.
Four of the six fastest women in history will compete in the London Marathon on Sunday, April 26, and Joyciline Jepkosgei will also compete.
In the men’s elite race, defending champion Sebastian Sawe has predicted it will take a course record to beat a field that also includes half-marathon world record holder Jacob Kiplimo, who finished runner-up in London over 26.2 miles last year.
Assefa triumphed in 2025 with a women’s-only world record time of two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.
But the Ethiopian was denied gold medals at the last two major world athletics championships in spectacular sprint finishes against rivals Hassan and Jepchirchir, both previous winners in London.
“Winning last year’s London Marathon and setting a women’s-only world record was one of the proudest moments of my career, and I want to do it again this year,” Assefa said.
“To achieve this, I know I will have to beat great champions like Peres and Sifan. They have been tough competitors for me and we have had great battles. I hope that this year I can emerge victorious.”