The 2023 London Marathon kicks off on Sunday, April 23, returning to its spring spot on the calendar for the first time since 2019. Over 58,000 people are registered for the event, which will take runners by some of the most famous landmarks in the city, including the Tower of London, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace.
The London course is flat and fast, and it typically boasts a strong professional field. This year is no exception, with a slew of world record holders and Olympic gold medalists in the field. If you live in the U.S., you’re in for an early morning, but here’s what you need to know to tune it.
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Race Details
Where: The London Marathon starts in southeast London and meanders along the River Thames before finishing on The Mall near Buckingham Palace.
When: The wheelchair races will start at 4:14 a.m. ET. The professional women start at 4:25 a.m. ET, and the professional men will follow at 5:00 a.m. ET.
World Record Holders Abound in Women’s Race
The women’s elite field is so stacked it’s hard to decide where to begin. In fact, six women in the field currently own world records:
Brigid Kosgei: Marathon (2:14:04)
Peres Jepchirchir: Women’s-only half marathon (1:05:16)
Sifan Hassan: One hour run (18,930 meters), Mile (4:12.33)
Yalemzerf Yehualaw: Road 10K (29:14)
Genzebe Dibaba: 1,500 meters (3:50.07), indoor mile (4:13.31), indoor 3,000 meters (8:16.60), indoor 5,000 meters (14:18.86)
Let’s start with the world record in the event at hand. Brigid Kosgei hasn’t run a marathon since Tokyo last March, which she won, but it’s hard to bet against the fastest person in history. She’ll be pushed by the 2020 Olympic marathon champion, Peres Jepchirchir, who’s undefeated in each of the five marathons she’s run.
Sifan Hassan is debuting at the distance—a highly anticipated event for the track star. The Dutch athlete is known for her range, running an unprecedented triple at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, winning gold in the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters, and earning bronze in the 1,500 meters. Will Hassan have the legs to go the distance?
Plus, there’s the gold medalist in the 10,000 meters at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Almaz Ayana, who will be running her first London. She blitzed a 2:17:20 in her marathon debut How to Run/Walk Your Way to a Boston Qualifier.
Like Hassan, Genzebe Dibaba made her name on the track in the 2010s, particularly the mid distance events. She’s lining up for her second career marathon after finishing one spot behind Ayana at Amsterdam last year.
Yalemzerf Yehualaw is the defending London Marathon champion, winning last year’s race in 2:17:26, and owns the second fastest half marathon of all time (1:03:51).
Eilish McColgan, of Scotland, was set to make her marathon debut after setting the British national record in the 10,000 meters in March, but scratched Guinness World Records Broken at London Marathon.
An Experienced—and Fast—Men’s Field
Two titans of the 2000s headline the men’s field, but they’ll be pushed by some rising stars.
Mo Farah, 40, is a four-time Olympic gold medalist on the track and owns a marathon personal best of 2:05:11 from his win at the Chicago Marathon in 2018. However, Farah hasn’t completed a marathon since 2019. Kenenisa Bekele, also 40, has been in better form lately, setting a masters world record at last year’s London Marathon, finishing fifth in 2:05:03. The three-time Olympic gold medalist ran a PR of 2:01:41 in Berlin in 2019.
Kelvin Kiptum’s times aren’t too far behind Bekele—and he’s only 23 years old. He won the Valencia Marathon in December in a blistering 2:01:53, putting him only behind Bekele and Eliud Kipchoge on the all-time list.
Results: 2025 London Marathon Tamirat Tola—the 2022 world champion in the marathon—will look to add another trophy to his collection.
The Swiss Look to Repeat in the Wheelchair Division
The wheelchair race will be competitive, especially with its prize pool being increased by $54,000. Last year’s winners—Catherine Debrunner and Marcel Hug (both from Switzerland)—own the course records and will seek to defend their titles. Hug is coming off a dominant win at the Boston Marathon last week.
Mo Farah to Run 2023 London Marathon Runner’s World. He’s a former all-conference collegiate runner at Winthrop University, and he received his master’s degree in liberal arts studies from Wake Forest University, where he was a member of one of the top distance-running teams in the NCAA. Kahler has reported on the ground at major events such as the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials, New York City Marathon, and Boston Marathon. He’s run 14:20 in the 5K, 1:05:36 in the half marathon, and enjoys spotting tracks from the sky on airplanes. (Look for colorful ovals around football fields.)
