London Marathon 2026 Preview: Sawe Defends Title Against Kiplimo, Tola, and Cheptegei

Posted by: Watch Athletics

Friday, 24 April 2026

The 2026 TCS London Marathon, scheduled for Sunday, April 26, promises another spectacular showdown as some of the world’s greatest distance runners converge on the British capital. Defending champions, Olympic gold medalists, and world record holders headline a stacked elite field, setting the stage for one of the most competitive editions in recent history.

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Men's Race Preview

Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe will defend his title at the 2026 London Marathon, facing a star-studded field that includes world half marathon record holder Jacob Kiplimo, Olympic marathon champion Tamirat Tola, world 5000m and 10000m record holder Joshua Cheptegei, and Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, a two-time world silver medallist in the 10000 metres.

Sawe won last year’s London Marathon in 2:02:27, setting the second-fastest time in the history of the race. He remains unbeaten in his three marathon appearances, having run just 22 seconds off his personal best of 2:02:05 set in Valencia in 2024. The Kenyan star also claimed victory at the 2025 Berlin Marathon in 2:02:16.

Kiplimo finished second behind Sawe in London last year, improving the Ugandan record to 2:03:37 on his marathon debut. He later lowered that mark to 2:02:23 when he won the Chicago Marathon last October. The 25-year-old also secured his third world cross country title in Tallahassee in January and broke the world half marathon record with 57:20 in Lisbon last March.

His compatriot Joshua Cheptegei returns to the marathon after improving his personal best to 2:04:52 in Amsterdam last October. Cheptegei is a double Olympic champion, winning gold in the 5000m at Tokyo 2021 and the 10000m at Paris 2024, and holds world records of 12:35.36 (5000m) and 26:11.00 (10000m), both set in 2020.

Tamirat Tola, Olympic marathon champion in Paris 2024 (2:06:26) and world champion in Eugene 2022 (2:05:36), brings further depth to the field. He owns a personal best of 2:03:39 and will compete in his second marathon of the year after winning in Doha in 2:05:40 in January.

Ethiopian stars Yomif Kejelcha and Hagos Gebrhiwet will make their marathon debuts. Kejelcha is a two-time world silver medallist over 10000m and a double world indoor champion in the 3000m, while Gebrhiwet has won three global medals in the 5000m and set an Ethiopian record of 12:36.73 in 2023.

Other notable contenders include former London champion Amos Kipruto, two-time New York Marathon winner Geoffrey Kamworor, and Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta, who ranks ninth on the all-time list with 2:02:38. Germany’s Amanal Petros leads the European challenge, having set a national record of 2:04:03 in Valencia.

Women’s Race Preview

In the women’s race, Tigist Assefa returns to defend her title after setting a women’s-only world record of 2:15:50 in London last year. Assefa is also the former world record holder in a mixed race with 2:11:53 and has consistently finished in the top two in her last six marathons.

Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei, runner-up in London in 2025 (2:18:44), enters in strong form after winning in Valencia with a world-leading 2:14:00.

Hellen Obiri will make her London Marathon debut. The Olympic bronze medallist won the New York Marathon in 2025 with a course record of 2:19:51 and achieved the rare double of New York and Boston victories in 2023. She successfully defended her Boston title in 2024 with 2:22:37.

Uruguay’s Julia Peernain adds an intriguing storyline after winning a historic world championship medal in Tokyo 2025, becoming the first athlete from her country to achieve the feat.

The British contingent is led by Eilish McColgan, a European silver medallist and former European 10 km record holder, alongside Jess Warner-Judd and Abbie Donnelly, both established names on the international stage.