LONDON (Jan 28) – Defending champion Tigst Assefa will return to the TCS London Marathon on April 26, aiming to retain her crown against one of the strongest fields ever assembled.
The Ethiopian star, who set the 2:15:50 record in London last year and owns the women-only race world record, will face Olympic champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands and Kenya’s world champion Peres Jepchirchir – both former winners of the World Athletics Platinum Label event.
The 2026 women’s race will reunite all the medalists from the 2025 London Marathon, 2024 Olympic Games, and 2025 World Championships. Also confirmed are Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei, winner in 2021, two-time Boston and New York champion Hellen Obiri, and Uruguay’s world bronze medallist Julia Paternain.
Read More: Peres Jepchirchir shatters women-only world marathon record at TCS London Marathon 2024
Since 2022, Assefa has dominated the marathon scene, capturing wins in Berlin and London and earning Olympic and world silver medals. She has finished in the top two in all six of her most recent races, losing only to Hassan and Jepchirchir.
“Winning last year’s London Marathon and setting the women-only world record was one of my proudest moments,” Assefa said. “To repeat it, I’ll have to beat great champions like Peres and Sifan.”
Hassan, who debuted with a win in London in 2023, went on to capture Olympic gold in 2024, while Jepchirchir’s résumé includes titles in Boston, New York and the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.
“With this calibre of athletes, another record-breaking race is entirely possible,” said race director Hugh Brasher.
TCS London Marathon Elite Field:
Leading entries:
- Tigst Assefa (ETH, PB 2:11:53)
- Sifan Hassan (NED, 2:13:44)
- Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN, 2:14:00)
- Peres Jepchirchir (KEN, 2:14:43)
- Hellen Obiri (KEN, 2:17:41)
- Degitu Azimeraw (ETH, 2:17:58)
- Catherine Reline Amanang’ole (KEN, 2:20:34)
- Balemelay Shumet (ETH, 2:21:59)
- Charlotte Purdue (GBR, 2:22:17)
- Laura Luengo (ESP, 2:22:31)
- Rose Harvey (GBR, 2:23:21)
- Abbie Donnelly (GBR, 2:24:11)
- Florencia Borelli (ARG, 2:24:18)
- Eilish McColgan (GBR, 2:24:25)
- Jessica Warner-Judd (GBR, 2:24:45)
- Fadouwa Ledhem (FRA, 2:25:50)
- Marta Galimany (ESP, 2:26:14)
- Lucy Reid (GBR, 2:26:35)
- Julia Paternain (URU, 2:27:09)
- Louise Small (GBR, 2:27:48)
- Alice Wright (GBR, 2:28:48)
- Verity Hopkins (GBR, 2:31:19)
