In what promises to be an electrifying showdown, Kenyan and Ethiopian long-distance runners are primed to clash at the upcoming TCS London Marathon on Sunday, 21st April.
The stage is set for a spectacle as three of the top four fastest women in history gear up to vie for victory and potentially rewrite the record books.
Leading the charge is Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa, who stunned the world with a blistering performance in Berlin last year, smashing the world record with a jaw-dropping time of 2:11:53.
Assefa’s feat, which saw her eclipse Brigid Kosgei’s previous mark, sets the stage for an epic showdown between the Ethiopian powerhouse and the Kenyan sensation.
But the competition doesn’t end there. A star-studded lineup of elite women, including Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir and 2019 world champion Ruth Chepngetich, is poised to challenge the women-only world record of 2:17:01 set by Mary Keitany in 2017.
With formidable contenders like Yalemzerf Yehualaw and Joyciline Jepkosgei in the mix, expectations are high for a record-breaking performance.
Notably, the depth of talent in the women’s field is staggering, with 10 competitors boasting personal bests faster than 2:17:30. With pacemakers tasked with ensuring a swift pace conducive to record-breaking, the stage is set for a historic race.
Event director Hugh Brasher hailed the current era as a “golden age of women’s marathon running,” acknowledging the remarkable progress made since Paula Radcliffe’s iconic world record in 2003.
With Assefa, Kosgei, Chepngetich, and a host of other elite athletes in contention, anticipation is building for a potential assault on Keitany’s longstanding record.
While the spotlight shines brightly on the women’s race, the elite men’s competition promises its own thrills, headlined by the likes of Kenenisa Bekele and Geoffrey Kamworor.
With a field stacked with talent and the allure of record-breaking performances, the 2024 London Marathon is shaping up to be an unmissable event for fans of long-distance running.
Elite field
Women
Tigist Assefa (ETH) 2:11:53
Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:14:04
Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 2:14:18
Tigist Ketema (ETH) 2:16:07
Almaz Ayana (ETH) 2:16:22
Megertu Alemu (ETH) 2:17:09
Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) 2:17:16
Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 2:17:23
Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) 2:17:23
Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:17:29
Tsige Haileslase (ETH) 2:22:10
Susanna Sullivan (USA) 2:24:27
Manon Trapp (FRA) 2:25:48
Becky Briggs (GBR) 2:29:04
Alice Wright (GBR) 2:29:08
Men
Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:01:41
Mosinet Geremew (ETH) 2:02:55
Alexander Mutiso Munyao (KEN) 2:03:11
Tamirat Tola (ETH) 2:03:39
Dawit Wolde (ETH) 2:03:48
Kinde Atanaw (ETH) 2:03:51
Leul Gebresilase (ETH) 2:04:02
Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 2:04:23
Seifu Tura (ETH) 2:04:29
Daniel Do Nascimento (BRA) 2:04:51
Addisu Gobena (ETH) 2:05:01
Milkesa Mengesha (ETH) 2:05:29
Henok Tesfay (ERI) 2:07:12
Emile Cairess (GBR) 2:08:07
Callum Hawkins (GBR) 2:08:14
Hassan Chahdi (FRA) 2:08:19
Mahamed Mahamed (GBR) 2:08:40
Brian Shrader (USA) 2:09:46
Weynay Ghebresilasie (GBR) 2:09:50
Marc Scott (GBR) debut
