Tigist Assefa, Peres Jepchirchir, Ruth Chepngetich, Jacob Kiplimo and Alexander Mutiso (© Getty Images)
Peres Jepchirchir and Alexander Mutiso Munyao will defend their TCS London Marathon titles on Sunday 27 April, organisers of the World Athletics Platinum Label road race have confirmed.
The elite field also includes world record-holder Ruth Chepngetich, two-time Berlin Marathon champion Tigist Assefa, and two-time world cross country champion Jacob Kiplimo, who’ll be making his debut over the classic distance. They’ll join Olympic marathon champions Sifan Hassan and Tamirat Tola, whose participation was confirmed earlier this week.
It means the three fastest women in history – Chepngetich, Assefa and Hassan – will all toe the line in the British capital.
The race will also include 2021 London Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei and Valencia Marathon champion Alemu Megertu, who finished third and fourth respectively in London this year. They’re among the six women in the field with a PB faster than 2:17.
Ethiopia’s 2023 Osaka Marathon champion Haven Hailu, Ugandan record-holder Stella Chesang and world bronze medallist Fatima Ezzahra Gardadi are also in the line-up, while Commonwealth 10,000m champion Eilish McColgan is set to make her marathon debut.
Kiplimo, Tola and Mutiso will be joined in the men’s race by world half marathon champion Sabastian Sawe, who ran 2:02:05 in Valencia last month on his debut at the distance. Berlin Marathon champion Milkesa Mengesha and 2024 Tokyo Marathon runner-up Timothy Kiplagat are also in the field.
The line-up also includes New York City Marathon champion Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands, Olympic fourth-place finisher Emile Cairess of Great Britain, German record-holder Amanal Petros, Norway’s Sondre Moen, Australian record-holder Andrew Buchanan, Italy’s European half marathon champion Yeman Crippa and Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee.
“This is quite simply the greatest elite field in the history of the London Marathon,” said Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events. “We are welcoming back all our defending champions and, excitingly, Ruth Chepngetich who produced one of the most outstanding performances of all time when she became the first woman to run inside 2:10 in Chicago last year.
“In Ruth, Sifan Hassan and Tigist Assefa we have the three fastest women of all time in the field in a thrilling showdown. All three have run inside 2:14 and no marathon in history has ever had a faster line-up. This year, our historic 45th edition, is stronger than ever before.”
Elite field
Women
Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 2:09:56
Tigst Assefa (ETH) 2:11:53
Sifan Hassan (NED) 2:13:44
Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) 2:16:16
Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 2:16:24
Megertu Alemu (ETH) 2:16:34
Stella Chesang (UGA) 2:18:26
Haven Hailu Desse (ETH) 2:19:29
Susanna Sullivan (USA) 2:21:56
Charlotte Purdue (GBR) 2:22:17
Sofiia Yaremchuk (ITA) 2:23:16
Rose Harvey (GBR) 2:23:21
Fatima Ezzahra Gardadi (MAR) 2:24:12
Philippa Bowden (GBR) 2:25:47
Lucy Reid (GBR) 2:26:37
Emily Durgin (USA) 2:26:46
Eilish McColgan (GBR) debut
Holly Archer (GBR) debut
Men
Sabastian Sawe (KEN) 2:02:05
Timothy Kiplagat (KEN) 2:02:55
Alexander Mutiso Munyao (KEN) 2:03:11
Milkesa Mengesha (ETH) 2:03:17
Tamirat Tola (ETH) 2:03:39
Mohamed Esa (ETH) 2:04:39
Abdi Nageeye (NED) 2:04:45
Hillary Kipkoech (KEN) 2:04:45
Amanal Petros (GER) 2:04:58
Sondre Nordstad Moen (NOR) 2:05:48
Yemaneberhan Crippa (ITA) 2:06:06
Andrew Buchanan (AUS) 2:06:22
Emile Cairess (GBR) 2:06:46
Mahamed Mahamed (GBR) 2:07:05
Brett Robinson (AUS) 2:07:31
Jacob Sommer Simonsen (DEN) 2:07:51
Philip Sesemann (GBR) 2:08:02
Adam Lipschitz (RSA) 2:08:54
Jonathan Mellor (GBR) 2:09:06
Dewi Griffiths (GBR) 2:09:49
Weynay Ghebresilasie (GBR) 2:09:50
Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) debut
Alex Yee (GBR) debut
