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The London Marathon is always a special day. Supreme human endeavour matched by great kindness and generosity from vast crowds of supporters. An antidote for cynicism and jadedness. Now, where are my running shoes?
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Race director Hugh Brasher has been speaking to the BBC. He stresses a possible two-day London Marathon extravaganza would likely be a “one and done”, which would not happen every year.
“There’s lots of reasons. Firstly, 1.1 million people applied to run this event in 2026. Last year, £87 million was raised for good causes. We believe that there is a demand for the double marathon, the economic and social benefit would be £400 million. We believe the charity fundraising would be over £130 million. And the joy and positivity that comes from this event, and the unity of this city, showing London at its best, in the world we live in now – a world of more war, more social media, putting people against each other. Having these days of togetherness is what this world needs, and was one of my father’s original goals: to show the family of humankind can be one joyous group together.”
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The softly spoken 29-year-old Kenyan is one of the top marathon runners, but he will become a new sporting superstar after running 1hr 59mins 30sec in London this morning. He did negative splits too, running the second half quicker than the first, with a 59-minute latter part.
Yes, he had ground-breaking super shoes, but it takes a one-off human being to run that fast. Experts did not think this was on the cards, not in London, which is not even the world’s fastest course. With Sawe the first man to achieve this feat in competition, this is is on a par with Roger Bannister’s four-minute mile. A special moment. Spare a thought for poor Yomif Kejelcha, who also broke the two-hour barrier in his first marathon and only finished second.
As if that was not enough, Tigst Assefa won the women’s race in a women’s only world record too, with a time of 2hrs 15mins 41secs.
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Somebody dressed as a bee playing Amarillo on an accordion and dancing around, a fellow carrying a fridge looking less tired than the other competitors, a rhinocerous running past Gabby Logan’s shoulder, all set to a BBC montage of Elbow. Did that really happen?
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You can enter the ballot for the 2027 race here. It is open until 4pm BST on Friday.
Luck will need to be on your side to get in. More than 1.1 million people entered for this year’s edition and even more may be inspired by what they have seen unfold today.
As I type that, someone dressed in a giant white inflatable chicken costume flaps his wings to make the final steps before the finish while a runner dressed as Wonder Woman sprints for the line. Poetic.
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A painful second half of the marathon for the great sailor, who had to do a spot of walking in the finale. Still, he has the energy for a smile and thumps up to the cheering crowds on The Mall.
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Adidas state that the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 is the result of three years of intense research. The brand claims it is 30 per cent lighter than the previous iteration of the shoe and with 1.6 per cent more running economy. It also has a 39mm stack, maximising the cushioning and energy return with every step.
“We went through more than a dozen iterations, working closely with our athletes and testing everywhere from our labs in Herzogenaurach to high-altitude camps in Kenya and Ethiopia,” says Patrick Nava, general manager of Adidas’s running division. “It was a long process, but it’s led to something we believe genuinely changes what a race-day shoe can feel like.”
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“It was hot, my feet are killing me. I’ve got to be honest, it was hard to enjoy the crowd when you’re in that much pain. A marathon is like my worst nightmare, I’m more of a 1,500-metre runner. That was tough, it didn’t help that my pacing was horrendous. I did a PB for the half-marathon, 1:42, then I just thought ‘oh no’. You can imagine how slowly I went for that second half.
It’s the crowd, it’s the runners: to have that many people around you, it’s not that easy to stick to your own timing. As much as I joke, the crowd were absolutely amazing. They just keep you going ... I am one and done, I will not be running [again], I’m putting my shoes in the bin.”
She adds that husband Jason Kenny has taken their boys to a rugby tournament so they are not even watching.
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Some participants walking, like Joe Wicks and Daddy Pig, surrounded by other runners wanting selfies. I am sure that has happened a few times. They are into the last 10 miles now.
It is getting a little hotter out there, with highs of 21C expected on The Mall at 4.00 BST. On a pretty windless day, that will make this feat even tougher for the later finishers.
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With 59,000 participants expected to be taking part today, the event in the United Kingdom’s capital city could well regain its crown for most finishers in a marathon.
Dame Laura Kenny, running for the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust, is about to cross the line. The five-time Olympic gold medalist waves at crowds cheering on The Mall and smiles at the camera, finishing in around about 3hr 45 mins.
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Sebastian Vettel stops the clock at 2h 59min 08secs. An incredibly evenly-paced marathon and good horsepower, as you might expect for a Formula 1 champion.
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A very impressive 3h 05min 15sec time for Sir Alastair Cook, who has clearly been drinking more isotonic mixes than alcoholic beverages in the last six months.
But our own deputy cricket correspondent Will Macpherson can dine out on finishing just over six minutes faster than the former England captain. Rather an apt number, given the sport they both love. Well done to both.
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Sabastian Sawe will inspire many people today, but a lot of people will be urged on by regular runners competing for charities who take three or four times as long as the Kenyan record-breaker to complete the course. Every participant can count themselves proud.
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“I’m so grateful to be here to witness history in mankind,” 2023 winner Sifan Hassan says on BBC punditry. “A few years ago, nobody thought it was possible to go under two hours. Now two men have done it.”
Yomif Kejelcha, making his marathon debut, may be a quiz answer in the future. Breaking that two-hour barrier and finishing second!
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) April 26, 2026WHAT HAVE WE JUST WITNESSED? 🤯
Sabastian Sawe has just become the first person in history to run a sub two-hour marathon in race conditions.
Yomif Kejelcha was also under two hours for second! pic.twitter.com/RrylgXumLk
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The former Welsh footballer Aaron Ramsey is on track to go under three hours. Very impressive. Sir Alastair Cook and Cynthia Erivo with sterling pace too, they should both finish within 20 minutes of three hours. Here’s an update of how the famous runners are doing:
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Marathon icon Kipchoge ran 1hr 59min 40sec in 2019 as part of a specifically-created event targeted at breaking the mythical two-hour barrier. He had a rotating squad of pace-makers, hydration delivered by bike and was the only man racer, so it was an unofficial mark.
That is also why this achievement resonates, done under competition rules. Sabastian Sawe went almost three minutes quicker than his 2025 winning time. Simply astonishing. A barrier has been not so much overcome as broken today.
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A reminder: there were two world records today, with Tigst Assefa lowering her women’s only world record by nine seconds.
“I am so happy to win again. I want to thank God for giving me this victory, to repeat my win from last year means even more. The happiness I feel is just swelling up inside me … it was one of my plans coming into this competition, to break my own world record from last year’s race. It has brought me a lot of satisfaction. I want to thank Hellen [Obiri] and Joyceline [Jepkosgei] for making such a great competition, they also ran great races.”
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From one incredible sporting achievement to a different one. Daddy Pig has been getting a lot of affection.
“The fan love for Daddy Pig is unbelievable. He’s doing amazing,” Joe Wicks says. “He is holding out well. He has got the endurance. He is inspiring me, we are raising money for the National Deaf Children’s Society and little George is going to be so proud of him. He has never done anything this difficult.”
Through 9.32 miles in 1h 53min 07sec.
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No doubt these 97-gram shoes will be flying off the shelves tomorrow. The race to go sub-two hours in an official race is also down to improved technology and an arm’s race from trainer manufacturers, after all.
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“I am feeling good, I am so happy. It’s a day to remember for me. We started the race well and approaching the finish, I was feeling strong. I remember my Ethiopian [fellow, Kejelcha] was so competitive, I think he helped a lot. Reaching the finish line I saw the time and was so excited to see I broke the world record today.
Today shows me a lot. There is time for everyone. I am so happy for today’s result and I think I was well-prepared because coming to London for the second time was so important to me. And that’s why I prepared well for it. And finally, what I had done for four months, it has come today to be a good result.”
“First, I would like to help the crowds for cheering us. They help a lot because if it was not for them you do not feel you are so loved. I think they help us a lot, I think you feel so happy and strong and pushing and that’s why I can say… what comes today is not for me alone, but for all of us today in London.”
No response from Sawe to Gabby Logan’s final question about whether he would go for fish and chips and a beer on the BBC...
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It only became clear in the final quarter that Sabastian Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha were not slowing at all after their rapid start. The 29-year-old should be on every newspaper front page tomorrow. It does not get much bigger than this in terms of athletic achievement.
He ran negative splits: 59 minutes for the second half. Mind-blowing.
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Mahamed Mahamed clocks 2h 6m 13s with compatriot Patrick Dever a few seconds behind in 2h 6m 17s or so. He has slipped into tenth place with that.
Eilish McColgan was the best UK runner in the women’s race, finishing seventh.
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Second place for Yomif Kejelcha, no shame in missing out to that remarkable performance from Sawe and still under two hours on his debut. Phenomenal. Third for Jacob Kiplimo.
Near-perfect conditions for running, but this is not even the fastest course in the world. Sawe’s feat will reverberate around the world and transcend sport.
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1h 59m 30s is the winning time. Sawe wins, he appeared to speed up in the final miles.
Astonishing and historic. The Kenyan has gone sub-two hours, the first time it has ever been done officially, in a race. He has broken the world record. Many thought it could not be done. Remember the name: Sabastian Sawe. He should be as famous as Roger Bannister for this feat.
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) April 26, 2026A moment we thought we would never see 🤯
Sabastian Sawe has become the first person to run a marathon in under two hours in race conditions. pic.twitter.com/mSYj4P1BLG
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He has a minute to get to the finish. He is going to do it. He is going to break two hours for the marathon.
This is history. Nobody has ever done this in an official race.
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The Kenyan defending champion has increased the pace and left Kejelcha behind.
The world record is 2h 00m 35s and Sawe is getting faster. He will win again and he could make history – by breaking the world record and even going sub-two hours. That would be incredible. We will know in three minutes.
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They will be very close to Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 standard of 2h 1m 25s. They could even shatter the world record. Could track star Kejelcha win on his marathon debut?
Eilish McColgan crosses the line for seventh place in the women’s race, the highest British finisher. 2h 24m 51s is her time, just a few seconds slower than her mark last year.
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Mahamed Mahamed, Patrick Dever and Irishman Peter Lynch have teamed up and are passing rivals. Through 35km, they are on track to go under 2:07.
In front, defending champion Sabastian Sawe leads Yomif Kejelcha. It looks like being a two-man race as they enter the last three miles.
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What a finish from Assefa, the champion defending her crown. The Ethiopian has set a new women’s only (no male pacemakers, basically) world record too, crossing the line in 2h 15m 41s. Just nine seconds quicker than her 2025 time.
She high-fives supporters and congratulates second-placed Hellen Obiri and Joyceline Jepkosgei. All three were under 2:16, a remarkably-fast podium and an exciting finish.
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Jepkosgei loses ground as they go onto the Mall. Obiri has to drop off.
Tigst Assefa’s sustained turn of pace is going to win her the London Marathon. Two in a row for the Ethiopian as she runs past Buckingham Palace and puts in a sprint finish.
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Past Big Ben and onto Birdcage Walk. A 5:48 25th mile, if that really is true, is a massive drop-off in speed. Maybe they will not break the world standard after all...
Tigst Assefa, Hellen Obiri and Joyciline Jepkesgoi briefly are side-by-side. Nothing to choose between them yet.
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The women’s only world record of 2h 15m 50s is still set to fall, they are 20 seconds up on it. Obiri, Assefa and Jepkosgei run side-by-side, they have all slowed. Understandably, they look exhausted. They run past the London Eye on the Embankment.
Sprint finish incoming as they enter the final mile.
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On his marathon debut, he is keeping up with Sabastian Sawe. Jacob Kiplimo has them in his sights, ten metres behind. They are heading for a course record and one of the fastest marathons in history, a time close to 2h 1m is on the cards.
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Hellen Obiri looks round at Tigst Assefa and Joyciline Jepkosgoi. The pace is slowing down.
Looks can be deceptive: Obiri has a lumbering, jolting style, Assefa looks composed. But the Kenyan has a very fast finish and this could go down to the Mall and the wire.
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With three miles to go, Hellen Obiri has come to the front. This women’s race could get tactical, with three leaders and three miles to go. Jacob Kiplimo has latched on to Sawe and Kejelcha, making it three leaders in the men’s race.
Leading Briton Eilish McColgan is in seventh and slowing slightly, now projected a finish time just over 2h 24m.
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In his pink running singlet, the Kenyan defending champion puts in a surge just before the 18-mile mark. Yomif Kejelcha is the only man to match him.
Kiplimo is chasing hard in no man’s land, but he has been caught out.
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The rising heat does now seem to by impacting on times in the women’s race. Projected finishes have slowed by more than a minute (2hr 14min 30sec for leaders and 2hr 23 min 30sec for McColgan).
That suggests the men, who went through halfway in a rapid 1hr 00min 29sec, may yet struggle to beat Kiptum’s course record. They may have paced it rather better though and no one quite knows the ceiling for Sawe and Kiplimo.
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Tigst Assefa is leading, with Jepkosgei and Obiri in hang-on mode. They are still set for a course record and women’s only world record too, but the Ethiopian will want to step on the gas in the next miles and get rid of her rivals.
In the men’s race, the pace-setters have gone and there are still six leaders, including defending champion Sawe, Kiplimo and Kejelcha. The British contenders – Dever, Mahamed, Rowe, Sesemann, Menges and Ghebresilasie – are just outside the top ten, 3:11 in arrears.
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A quick update on some of the famous runners. Sir Alistair Cook very close to sub three-hour pace. Clearly something of a Renaissance man keeping fit in retirement.
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Although the women are outside world record pace, we could see something genuinely historic today. Paula Radcliffe’s women’s course record of 2hr 15min 25sec, which has stood for 23 years from an era long before carbon-reinforced super shoes, looks certain to go.
Hellen Obiri, Tigst Assefa and Joyciline Jepkosgei, are all on course to run around 2hr 13min here. Leading British runner is Eilish McColgan, currently seventh, and tracking to finish in about 2hr 22min 30sec. That would be around two minutes faster than last year when McColgan was eighth.
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Tigst Assefa comes to the front and pushes the pace. Just 12 seconds inside the world record pace. She appeared to miss her water bottle, which could be important.
Hellen Obiri lost a little ground but caught back up. Joyciline Jepkosgei is stubbornly sticking in the Ethiopian’s slipstream. 1h 40 in and still three leaders.
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Daddy Pig is running for the National Deaf Children’s Society. The cartoon hero is currently on sub-five hour pace. I do hope Peppa and family are somewhere on the course to cheer him on.
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The pace-setters have dropped out and the mile times have slowed slightly. Tigst Assefa looks comfortable, looking back at labouring companions Hellen Obiri and Joyciline Jepkosgei. It is up to the defending champion to set the pace here if she wants another world record.
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Debutant Yomif Kejelcha leads the group of six across at the 12.1-mile mark, with crowds six-deep. They are 18 seconds inside world record pace after 20 kilometres.
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Debrunner made the difference round the final corners and surged hard, crossing the line in 1h 38m 30s. Her fourth title and another win for Switzerland. Second for McFadden.
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Hellen Obiri’s ungainly running style makes it look like her race is run, but she still has plenty in her. They are about 25 seconds within the women’s only world record pace.
Assefa moves into the lead, clutching her drinks bottle, with Joyciline Jepkosgei in close quarters.
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Tatyana McFadden leads Catherine Debrunner down the Embankment, the defending champion in her slipstream. This will be a close finish.
The six leading men have dropped a 4:44 tenth mile. Just try running one mile at that speed. The mind boggles. They will soon be at Tower Bridge.
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The dominator of this discipline does it again, taking a record-equalling eighth title in London. Six in a row too for the Swiss master. He stopped the clock in 1h 24h 13m, to my eye.
Third place for Britain’s David Weir. Very impressive at the age of 46.
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After 20 kilometres, just over an hour into the race, they are 31 seconds inside the world record split. This is even faster than expected. Surely the pace has to steady out or even slow down.
Deafening cheers from the crowd as they cross the Thames.
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They have 6.5 miles under their super shoes. Six leaders: 2025 winner Sabastian Sawe, Jacob Kiplimo, Amos Kipruto, Tamirat Tola, Deresa Geleta and Yomif Kemjelcha.
Leading Britons Mahamed Mahamed, Patrick Dever and Phil Sesemann are 1:19 in arrears, just outside of the top ten.
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A definite feeling on the finish at The Mall that we could be in for a course or even world record. Sabastian Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo are two men who many believe could even go inside two hours at some point, even if that may have to wait for an even quicker course like Berlin or Chicago.
London is no slow course and the conditions are close to perfect for the elites, warm but not hot, and the only wind is a gentle breeze that will be on their banks in the final stretch from Canary Wharf towards the Embankment. Worth noting, however, that live comparisons with Kelvin Kiptum’s respective course and world records can prompt false excitement simply because of the extraordinary way in which the late Kenyan finished those races with negative splits.
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I have seen a runner carrying a fridge, another as Mummy Pig, another as an inflatable water bottle. I am curious to know how one trains for such an undertaking.
Fitness coach and influencer Joe Wicks is spotted by the cameras, with some runners buzzing around him with their phones, taking photos and selfies...
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Leningrad-born American Tatyana McFadden leads 2025 winner Catherine Debrunner, with centimetres separating them. In contrast, Marcel Hug is 2:34 up in the elite men’s race. Only a puncture could stop him, seemingly.
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Well, it is really six: Sawe and Kiplimo are tucked behind three pace-makers. Kipruto, Kejelcha, Geleta and Olympic champion Tola are also there, 11 seconds up on their rivals. Speedy start, four miles in and on pace to break Kelvin Kiptum’s course record of 2h 1m 25s.
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Tower Bridge, at the 12-mile mark, is guaranteed to be a wall of noise. I am sure that sign will be the right way up when runners come through...
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Forty minutes in and almost six miles down. This rapid start could lead to another women’s only world record and a sub 2h 15m winning time.
Two pace-makers lead Hellen Obiri, Tigst Assefa and Joyciline Jepkosgei, with young Catherine Amang’ole falling several seconds back. BBC pundit Paula Radcliffe reckons they might have gone off too fast.
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Imminently. The elite men’s race and the first mass participation wave goes off at 9.35am BST, with waves of runners released between then and 11.30am, when the start line closes.
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Marcel Hug is out in front of the elite men’s wheelchair race. If the “Silver Bullet” triumphs today, it would be his eighth victory in London, equalling the record of David Weir.
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The four leaders are Tigst Assefa (Ethiopia) and Kenyan trio Hellen Obiri, Joyciline Jepkosgei and Catherine Reline Amanang’ole.
Meanwhile, Catherine Debrunner leads Tatyana McFadden in the women’s wheelchair race, moving away from the pack.
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No point for most of this field trying to keep pace with a champion like Tigst Assefa, who set the “women’s only” (ie. no male pace-makers) world record of 2h 15m 50s last year, and ruining one’s race in the opening mile. 5:06 is certainly a punchy first one.
The front pack consists of seven runners, including Assefa and Obiri, led by three pace-makers in pink and yellow vests.
McColgan has pace-makers in a group behind, hoping to get her under 2h 20m; Warner-Judd is running in a slower group.
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The British long-distance stalwart is introduced to the crowd. She ran 2h 24m 45s in her first marathon in New York five months ago. It will be intriguing to see how she fares today. Kudos for coming back from a mid-race seizure at the 2024 World Championships and subsequent epilepsy diagnosis.
Eilish McColgan may go even faster, having spoken of her desire to dip under the 2h 20m barrier.
2021 winner Joyciline Jepkosgei, Hellen Obiri and Tigst Assefa are the favourites. Off they go...
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It could well happen. Marathon organisers have held positive talks with the London Mayor’s office regarding a one-off version of this iconic event and are close to confirming a running festival over the 26.2-mile course that would involve more than 50,000 runners each day of the weekend and raise over £100m for charity.
The concept, however, comes with significant logistical challenges.
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The athletics icon and rugby great push the red buzzer to get the elite wheelchair races underway.
Catherine Debrunner and Marcel Hug are favourites to defend their titles; 46-year-old British veteran David Weir will hope to finish on the podium.
Another reminder: the elite women’s race starts at 9.05am, the men and mass participation are off at 9.35am.
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Telegraph Sport’s Sonia Twigg is also running today and informs me that the line to Blackheath has suffered delays earlier this morning. That is bound to cause some problems.
At least the mass participation waves go from 9.30 to 11.30 at staggered intervals, hopefully allowing for a few issues getting to the start.
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On my way to mile 20 where I will be handing out bottles at the water station. My running club, East London Runners, has organised this station on Poplar High Street for years and it is a great way to get close to the marathon. It starts early – my wife left at 5am to take delivery of the water and begin set-up.
During the peak period (those running 3-5 hrs) you cannot hand out bottles quickly enough and then for those at the back of the field, you often have to walk to them to hand over bottles because they are so exhausted. They don’t have the energy to walk to the side of the road to get their own.
Often they are the most grateful. I will keep an eye out for cricket colleague Will Macpherson who has not had a drink for seven weeks and really fancies his chances.
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From the sports pages, take your pick from cricket big cheese Sir Alastair Cook, Tony Adams, Aaron Ramsey, Laura Robson, Dame Laura Kenny, Sir AP McCoy and Sebastian Vettel, the latter two lacking the horsepower of their heyday.
There is also actor Cynthia Erivo, Jack O’Connell fitness influencer Joe Wicks, comedian Fern Brady and, er, Daddy Pig. We will keep an eye on their progress during the day.
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I dare say a few readers might feel pangs of nostalgia for London Marathon morning. Reminds me of waking up as a kid, going into the living room, turning on the TV and watching the whole thing, back in the days of four terrestrial channels. Perspiration guaranteed for the competitors, certain inspiration for millions of TV spectators and those on the roadside.
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Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa is back to defend her title and she could go even faster.
The women’s elite race starts at 9.05am BST, followed by the men’s elite athletes and the mass participation event at 9.35. Before all that, it is the elite men and women’s wheelchair races at 8.50am. 2025 winners Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner are the favourites.
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Know a world-beating athlete trying to go under 2h 8mins? Got a family member running as Big Ben? Have a colleague participating for a good cause?
Everyone can be tracked on the London Marathon app. Given the expected 59,000 runners, there could be millions of people trying to keep tabs.
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Disability charity Scope initially dropped The Singing Striders from representing it at Sunday’s race on Thursday because its founder, Janet Murray, is critical of gender ideology.
The choir was in a race against time on Saturday night to appear at the marathon because only one member was prepared to do so following the charity’s attack on them.
Ms Murray was informed this week that her gender-critical views went against Scope’s “commitment to diversity and inclusion”.
Charity bosses also told her: “We are concerned about your views because we don’t agree with your views”.
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I’m not sure Sabastian Sawe will be eating that.
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I think Sonia has hit the nail on the head with her article. Running is a pure activity, which ought to be an escape from society’s noise or “content”, but a lot of people cannot just run anymore without projecting it to all and sundry. I think, or certainly hope, that there is a vast, silent majority who are enjoying their experiences and not documenting it. Something called living...
Props to the influencers though for their wherewithal. In the one and only marathon I did, I had neither the energy, breath or dexterity to mess about with a phone or any kind of filming device, let alone sound chirpy on camera.
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There are parts of the London Marathon route that are congested enough without people pulling phones out of pockets and potentially elbowing someone else in the process, only to speed up once their content has been created.
It is a microcosm of society where even something as simple as stopping to say hello to a friendly neighbourhood cat on the street becomes a moment that must be filmed.
The problem is so acute that content creators have been banned from major marathons.
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Sabastian Sawe did not rule out a course or even world record when asked about his chances at this year’s London Marathon.
The Kenyan won last year’s edition in two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds, and told a press conference he felt the late Kelvin Kiptum’s three-year-old course record of two hours, one minute and 25 seconds could be beaten.
And asked if his shoes, the Adidas Pro Evo 3s, were of course – or even world – record quality, the 29-year-old replied, simply: “Yep.”
His main rival is Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo, the Chicago Marathon winner and last year’s London runner-up.
The stacked men’s field is missing Briton Emile Cairess, who placed third in 2024 and fourth at that summer’s Olympics and was targeting Mo Farah’s British record before he was forced to withdraw due to a calf issue.
Great Britain will still be well represented by the likes of Mahamed Mahamed, the fourth-fastest British man over the distance, his Paris 2024 Olympic team-mate Phil Sesemann, and Patrick Dever, all of whom have set more modest targets.
Alex Yee, the 2024 Olympic gold medallist in triathlon, made his competitive marathon debut last year in London and returns for this edition as a pacemaker.
Ethiopian Tigst Assefa will target her own women-only world record when she attempts to defend her own London crown.
The 29-year-old set a new standard at the same event last year, beating the previous world record by 26 seconds in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.
Assefa, whose competition includes Britons Eilish McColgan and Jess Warner-Judd, as well as Kenyan Hellen Obiri, who won the New York Marathon, has been pleasantly surprised by her own form.
She told a press conference: “My training has gone well, it has been better, even, than my preparation last year, so I think it is possible to beat the record I set last year.”
McColgan made her delayed London debut last year and was enamoured with the atmosphere, which she said “blew all my expectations out of the water” and added: “It was the toughest race I’ve ever done in my life.
“I didn’t even know how I was putting one foot in front of the other after 20 miles, but I was somehow moving forward in some sort of manner, and without the crowds I think that would have been a hell of a lot harder.”
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