The 2024 London Marathon is gearing up to host an elite women’s field that could rewrite the record books. With three of the four fastest women in history set to compete, we could see something special on the record-eligible, flat and fast course. In addition to the high stakes in the women’s race, the men’s field promises its own share of excitement, with one of the GOAT distance runners looking to redeem himself after a shaky NYC Half in March.
Here’s who you should keep your eyes on for this potentially historic race.
We’ll be on-site at the 2024 London Marathon to bring you live updates beginning at 9:00 a.m. CET on Sunday, April 21. Find our live updates at this link or on our homepage on race morning.
Key athletes to watch in The Women’s Race
Tigist Assefa
ETH 🇪🇹
Age: 27
World Athletics Profile
Marathon: 2:11:53 (Berlin, 2023; world record)
Half-marathon: 1:07:28 (Herzogenaurach, 2022)
Highlights
🥇 2023 Berlin Marathon
🥇 2022 Berlin Marathon
🥇 2022 Bahrain Royal Night Half Marathon
🥇 2022 Göteborgsvarvet Half Marthon
🥇 2022 adizero Road to Records Half Marathon
What To Watch For:
When the world record holder is making her debut since her stunning run in Berlin, you can guarantee all eyes will be on her. Last year, Assefa shocked the world after her win at the Berlin Marathon, where she shattered the world record. Assefa, clocking 2:11:53 took down Brigid Kosgei’s record of 2:14:04 by over two minutes and became the first women to run under 2:14, 2:13, and 2:12. The world will be watching Assefa as she makes her return to racing.
Keep an eye on what she’s got on her feet, too. Last year, she made headlines for the controversial Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1. From what we gathered in Boston, Adidas is working on an updated version. Could we potentially see Assefa sporting a prototype on Sunday?
Brigid Kosgei
KEN 🇰🇪
Age: 30
World Athletics Profile
Marathon: 2:14:04 (Chicago, 2019)
Half Marathon: 1:04:28 (South Shields, 2019)
Highlights
🥇 2024 EDP Lisbon Half Marathon
🥇 2023 Abu Dhabi Marathon
4th 2023 New York City Marathon
🥇 2022 Tokyo Marathon
🥈 2022 EDP Lisbon Half Marathon
4th 2021 London Marathon
🥈 2021 Olympic Games Marathon
🥇 2020 London Marathon
🥇 2019 Chicago Marathon
🥇 2019 London Marathon
What To Watch For:
Despite only being 30 years old, Brigid Kosgei is a respected veteran of the sport. The former world record holder has a laundry list of palmares including an Olympic silver medal and five Major Marathon wins. Kosgei held the record in the marathon of 2:14:04 for nearly four years after she broke Paula Radcliffe’s 16-year-old record at the 2019 Chicago Marathon. She’ll be coming into this race with something to prove, and will likely have eyes on reclaiming her title at the top.
Ruth Chepngetich
KEN 🇰🇪
Age: 29
World Athletics Profile
Marathon: 2:14:18 (Chicago, 2022)
Half Marathon 1:04:02 (Istanbul, 2021)
Highlights:
🥇 2023 Nagoya Women’s Marathon
🥈 2023 Chicago Marathon
🥈 2023 Istanbul Half Marathon
🥇 2022 Chicago Marathon
🥇 2022 Nagoya Women’s Marathon
🥇 2021 Chicago Marathon
🥉 2020 London Marathon
🥇 2019 World Championships Marathon
🥇 2019 Dubai Marathon
What To Watch For:
Ruth Chepngetich, the fourth-fastest woman of all time, will join a strong contingent of Kenyan runners at the London Marathon. Chepngetich is renowned for an aggressive racing style, so it won’t be surprising if we she her set a blistering pace early to threaten the world record and women’s-only world record. Chepngetich is also one of the most consistent elite women, so despite her likely setting a hard pace early, you can still expect her to threaten the podium.
Peres Jepchirchir
KEN 🇰🇪
Age: 30
World Athletics Profile
Marathon: 2:17:16 (Valencia, 2020)
Half Marathon: 1:05:06 (Ras Al Khaimah, 2017)
Highlights:
🥉 2023 London Marathon
🥇 2023 World Championships Half Marathon
🥇 2022 Boston Marathon
🥇 2021 New York City Marathon
🥇 2021 Olympic Games Marathon
🥇 2020 Valencia Marathon
🥇 2020 World Championships Half Marathon
🥇 2020 Prague Half Marathon
🥇 2019 Saitama International Marathon
What To Watch For:
Although she isn’t coming in with the most glamorous PB, Peres Jepchirchir knows how to win. She’s the only athlete to have ever won the Olympic marathon, the New York City Marathon, and the Boston Marathon. Jepchirchir is also the best half marathon runner in the world and is known to be able to fend off opponents in the back end of the race. She’s got years of wisdom and experience, that if the race is still together towards the end, don’t be surprised if she launches a calculated surge.
Becky Briggs
GBR 🇬🇧
Age: 24
World Athletics Profile
Marathon: 2:29:06 (Manchester, 2022)
Half Marathon: 1:12:54 (Larne, 2020)
Highlights:
🥇 2022 Manchester Marathon
🥈 2022 Workingham Half Marathon
8th 2021 British Marathon Championships
18th 2021 London Marathon
🥇 2020 Bath Half Marathon
🥇 Brass Monkey Half Marathon
What To Watch For:
You can’t talk about the London Marathon without mentioning the local elites. Becky Briggs comes in as the fastest-seeded British runner. Although young, Briggs brings twelve years of experience across multiple disciplines including track, road, and cross country. With recent success at the Manchester Marathon, Briggs will be looking to mix things up with the top runners in her home Major.
Key Athletes to Watch in The Men’s Race
Kenenisa Bekele
ETH 🇪🇹
Age: 41
World Athletics Profile
Marathon: 2:01:41 (Berlin, 2019)
Half Marathon: 1:00:09 (South Shields, 2023)
Highlights:
4th 2023 Valencia Marathon
5th 2022 London Marathon
🥉 2021 Berlin Marathon
6th 2021 New York City Marathon
🥇 2020 London Vitality Big Half
🥇 2019 Berlin Marathon
What To Watch For:
A three-time Olympic champion in the 5,000m and 10,000m, Bekele still says his best is yet to come. Despite being 41-years-old, Bekele is proving that age is just a number after his recent Masters world record at the 2023 Valencia Marathon in December, where he clocked 2:04:19. Bekele comes in with the fastest seed time and with a course that he says is in his wheelhouse, will certainly be eyeing the top spot of the podium.
Mosinet Geremew
ETH 🇪🇹
Age: 32
World Athletics Profile
Marathon: 2:02:55 (London, 2019)
Half Marathon: 59:11 (New Delhi, 2014)
Highlights:
🥇 2022 Seoul Marathon
🥈 2022 World Championships Marathon
🥉 2021 London Marathon
4th 2020 London Marathon
🥈 2019 London Marathon
🥈 2019 World Championships Marathon
🥇 2019 EDP Lisbon Half Marathon
What To Watch For:
After making friends with the second step at a number of major races, including two world championships, Mosinet Geremew will be looking to finally seal the deal with the top step at the 2024 London Marathon. With a number of his Ethiopian compatriots in the mix, Geremew knows it won’t be easy, however he comes into the race with the second-fastest seed, so won’t be one to discount.
Tamirat Tola
ETH 🇪🇹
Age: 32
World Athletics Profile
Marathon: 2:03:39 (Amsterdam, 2021)
Half Marathon: 59:13 (South Shields, 2019)
Highlights:
🥇 2023 New York City Marathon
🥉 2023 London Marathon
4th 2022 Valencia Marathon
🥇 2022 World Championships Marathton
🥉 2022 Tokyo Marathon
🥇 2022 Trento Half Marathon
🥇 2021 Amsterdam Marathon
What To Watch For:
Tamirat Tola will enter the London Marathon with fire in his eyes, having closed out the 2023 Majors season with a victory in New York City. Tola is also a two-time world championship medalist. In 2023, he won gold in the marathon, where he also set a championship-record of 2:05:36. Tola is also an Olympic bronze medalist in the 10,000, so he’s got good speed on him, which he can use to his advantage in the back end of the race.
Geoffrey Kamworor
KEN 🇰🇪
Age: 31
World Athletics Profile
Marathon: 2:04:23 (London, 2023)
Half Marathon: 58:01 (København, 2019)
Highlights:
🥈 2023 London Marathon
5th 2022 World Championships Marathon
4th 2021 Valencia Marathon
🥈 2021 Istanbul Half Marathon
🥇 2019 New York City Marathon
🥇 2019 Copenhagen Half Marathon
What To Watch For:
Geoffrey Kamworor is a versatile runner, having won major events in all distances from the 5,000m to the marathon and is also one of Kenya’s best cross0country runners. In 2019 he rewrote the history books, after breaking the half marathon world record by 17 second in Denmark, posting a time of 58:01 (which was also a 53 second personal best!). After missing the Tokyo Olympics due to injury, Kamworor will be looking to impress with a podium performance on Sunday.
Emile Cairess
GBR 🇬🇧
Age: 26
World Athletics Profile
Marathon: 2:08:07 (London, 2023)
Half Marathon: 1:00:01 (Napoli, 2024)
Highlights:
4th 2024 Napoli Half Marathon
6th 2023 London Marathon
10th 2023 Copenhagen Half Marathon
🥈 2023 European XC Championships
5th 2023 Runners’ Lab Halve Marathon
What To Watch For:
Emile Cairess is the fastest British seed in the men’s field for the 2024 London Marathon. Although young, just 26 years of age, Cairess has already showed that he can hang with the best. The young Brit had a breakthrough year in 2023 where he earned silver at the European Cross Country Championships, and followed that up with a 6th place at the 2023 London Marathon against the best in the world. Cairess has already started his season strong, with a 4th place at Napoli Half Marathon, setting the tone for a strong showing in London.
