London Marathon Assembles ‘Greatest Elite Field’ As Eliud Kipchoge Returns!

The 2025 TCS London Marathon professional field has been announced and, in the words of Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events: “This is quite simply the greatest elite field in the history of the London Marathon.”

LONDON MARATHON’S ‘GREATEST ELITE FIELD’

The three fastest women of all time are set to run the 2025 London Marathon on Sunday 27 April, as well as the fastest woman to ever run the London Marathon.

We’ll see world record holder Ruth Chepngetich (2:09:56); second-fastest all time Tigist Assefa (2:11:53); Sifan Hassan, reigning Olympic champion, winner of the 2023 London Marathon, and third-fastest all time (2:13:44); and last year’s winner and course record holder, Peres Jepchirchir (2:16:16), who holds the women’s only world record, set in last year’s race.

That’s a thrilling prospect for what could be a very fast race, and will likely see Jepchirchir’s women’s-only world record challenged – the women’s-only world record is contested at races where the women have a separate start to the men, and are not allowed male pacemakers.

The big headline in the men’s race is that Eliud Kipchoge, four-time winner of the London Marathon and arguably the greatest marathoner of all time, is returning to London for the first time since the pandemic-restricted race of 2020.

Kipchoge is officially the second-fastest man ever over the marathon, with his time of 2:01:09 at the 2022 Berlin Marathon, and during his career he has won 11 World Marathon Majors. Even at 40-years-old he continues to compete with the best in the world.

Kipchoge leads an incredible line-up of men in the 2025 London Marathon.

Olympic champion Tamirat Tola returns to London for his fifth attempt, and will be aiming to finish higher than his previous best of third. Last year’s London champion Alexander Mutiso Munyao is back to defend his title. The 2024 Valencia Marathon winner Sabastian Sawe, who was fastest man over the marathon in 2024, will also be in London, as will the winner of the 2024 New York City Marathon, Adbi Nageeye. And there’s an exciting debut for Jacob Kiplimo, the former half marathon world record holder (57:31), who is finally ready to run his first marathon – how fast can he go?

British hopes will be on Emile Cairess, who was third in 2024, and is back in 2025. He’s just one of a brilliant field of British runners.

BRITISH RUNNERS CREATE A DEEP FIELD AT THE 2025 LONDON MARATHON

Emile Cairess, who as well as finishing third in London was fourth in the Olympic Marathon, and he will be hoping to lower Mo Farah’s British marathon record of 2:05:11.

In the women’s race, Eilish McColgan is set to make her marathon debut. Rose Harvey is returning from the injury she sustained during the Paris Olympic Marathon. There’s Charlotte Purdue, the third-fastest Brit of all time, Philly Bowden, Lucy Reid, Louise Small and debutant Holly Archer.

In the men’s race, Olympian Phil Sesseman, Mahamed Mahamed, Marc Scott, Jake Smith and Dan Nash are among a long list of British runners, plus there will be plenty of attention on Alex Yee, the Olympic triathlon champion, who is making his marathon debut.

RETURNING CHAMPS ARE BACK IN BOSTON

It’s not just the London Marathon that announced their elite field, and this week the Boston Marathon has also revealed the full 2025 line-up.

Hellen Obiri and Sisay Lemma, winners of the 2024 Boston Marathon, will both be back in the city to defend their titles.

Sharon Lokedi, who was second in 2024 and won the 2022 New York City Marathon, will be looking to take another Major title. She’ll be challenged by the fifth-fastest woman of all time, Amane Beriso.

Alongside Lemma in the men’s race will be Evans Chebet, who won Boston in 2022 and 2023, while the 2024 Chicago Marathon winner, John Korir, will be looking to win another Major, and improve upon his fourth-placed finish from last year’s Boston Marathon.

There will be great interest from US running fans as many of the country’s best marathoners will be in Hopkinton and racing to the finish on Boylston.

In the men’s race, a lot of attention will be on Conner Mantz and Clayton Young, who continue their sequence of running marathons together. In 2024 Mantz was first in the US Olympic Marathon trials, first American in the Olympics and first American in the New York City Marathon, and Young was always just a few steps behind.

In the women’s race, Olympian Dakotah Popehn is joined by Keira D’Amato, Emma Bates, Sara Hall, Des Linden, Sara Vaughn, and many others.

Britain’s Calli Hauger-Thackery, second-fastest Brit of all time, is also racing. Looking at times on paper, Hauger-Thackery has a personal best faster than Hellen Obiri (Obiri is 13^th fastest in the field), but Obiri runs so well – and wins – on hilly courses.

Here’s the full elite line up for the Boston Marathon.

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If you’re taking part in a spring marathon then check out our full guide to spring marathon training.

Image: BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images