Sabastian Sawe and Tigst Assefa defend titles at 46th London Marathon with 59,000 participants
Updated
Updated · Runner's World · Apr 25
Sabastian Sawe and Tigst Assefa defend titles at 46th London Marathon with 59,000 participants
16 articles · Updated · Runner's World · Apr 25
A record 1.13 million people applied for the April 26 race, with 59,000 runners expected to start and global broadcast coverage planned.
Sawe, last year’s men’s champion, faces rival Jacob Kiplimo, while Assefa returns after setting a women’s-only world record in 2025.
The event follows a record-setting Boston Marathon and could see new records if conditions are favorable, with elite and mass participation fields featuring top global and British athletes.
Could a 100,000-finisher, two-day marathon sacrifice the event's iconic character for scale?
Beyond elite records, how do 73 world record attempts define the marathon's spirit?
With Kiptum's record in sight, can Sabastian Sawe deliver a historic London performance?
Without key rivals, can defending champion Tigst Assefa dominate the women's elite field?
What is truly driving the 'new golden era' of running among Gen Z women?
As 'super shoes' rewrite records, are we ignoring their hidden injury risks for runners?