The women’s race at the 2026 TCS London Marathon is shaping up to potentially be the race of the year, with nearly every major title in the sport represented on the start line.
When the gun goes off on Sunday, April 26, defending champion Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia will face Olympic gold medalist Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands and reigning world champion Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya.
Joining them are two-time New York City Marathon winner Hellen Obiri and former London champion Joyciline Jepkosgei, creating a field that could absolutely threaten the women-only world record.
A Rivalry Renewed in London
Assefa returns to London after a dominant run in recent years.
Since entering the major marathon circuit in 2022, she has never finished outside the top two in six marathon starts. Her resume includes two Berlin Marathon victories, a world record of 2:11:53 set there in 2023, and a women-only world record of 2:15:50 from last year’s London Marathon.
But her rare defeats have come against familiar names.
Jepchirchir edged Assefa in a sprint finish at the 2024 London Marathon and again at the 2025 World Championships marathon in Tokyo. Hassan out-kicked her for Olympic gold in Paris in 2024. London will be the first time all three have raced each other since those Games.
“Winning last year’s TCS London Marathon and setting a women-only world record was one of the proudest moments of my career,” Assefa said. “To do that I know I will have to beat great champions like Peres and Sifan. They have been tough competitors for me and we have had some great battles.”
Champions Across Every Major
Hassan and Jepchirchir both bring extensive major-marathon credentials.
Hassan won her debut in London in 2023 and followed her Olympic title in 2024 with victories in Chicago in 2023 and Sydney in 2025. Jepchirchir is now world champion in both the marathon and half marathon, and has also won Boston, New York, and Olympic gold at Tokyo in 2021.
Joyciline Jepkosgei arrives in peak form after winning the 2025 Valencia Marathon in 2:14:00, the fourth-fastest time in history. She was second to Assefa in London last year after winning the race in 2021.
Hellen Obiri will make her London Marathon debut after years of success on tougher courses. Since moving up to the marathon, she has won Boston twice and New York twice. Her most recent New York victory saw her break the course record by nearly three minutes, finishing in 2:19:51. Obiri also claimed Olympic bronze in Paris behind Hassan and Assefa.
Record Watch Returns
London has become the home of the women-only world record, which has fallen in each of the past two editions. Race organizers believe the trend could continue.
“For the past two years, the women-only world record has been broken at the TCS London Marathon,” said Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events. “With the calibre of athletes we have coming to London this April, it would be no surprise if the record of 2:15:50 set by Tigist Assefa last year is broken once again.”
This year’s field includes four of the five fastest women in marathon history if we exclude Ruth Chepngetich’s world record, which was set shortly before a positive test for a banned masking agent. Only Brigid Kosgei, who is racing Tokyo, is missing from the top five.
Depth Beyond the Headliners
The elite field also features Uruguay’s Julia Paternain, who made global headlines at the 2025 World Championships after finishing third without realizing she had won a bronze medal. Paternain grew up in the United Kingdom and competed as a junior on London’s closing streets.
A strong British contingent includes Eilish McColgan, Charlotte Purdue, Jessica Warner-Judd, and Abbie Donnelly, alongside international contenders from Ethiopia, Kenya, and Europe.
The women’s elite field announcement is the penultimate reveal for the 2026 London Marathon, with organizers set to announce the elite men’s field this week.
Full Elite Women’s Field
- Tigst Assefa (ETH, 2:11:53)
- Sifan Hassan (NED, 2:13:44)
- Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN, 2:14:00)
- Peres Jepchirchir (KEN, 2:14:43)
- Megertu Alemu (ETH, 2:16:34)
- Hellen Obiri (KEN, 2:17:41)
- Degitu Azimeraw (ETH, 2:17:58)
- Catherine Relin Amanang’ole (KEN, 2:20:34)
- 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)
