Emile Cairess will return to the TCS London Marathon in April 2026 with a crystal clear goal. One of Great Britain’s top male marathon runners says he is ready to run faster than ever and has even put Sir Mo Farah’s long-standing national records within reach.
The race, scheduled for Sunday, 26 April, will feature one of the strongest British marathon fields in recent memory. It marks Cairess’s return to the London Marathon after missing the 2025 edition and follows a difficult year that saw him sidelined by injury.
Cairess, 27, finished fourth at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024. His momentum stalled in 2025, but he closed the year by pacing Alex Yee to a 2:06:37 finish at the Valencia Marathon. That performance pushed Yee ahead of Cairess on the all-time British rankings and sharpened Cairess’s focus heading into 2026.
“My last two marathons have been championship races,” Cairess said. “The last time I approached a marathon with a primary focus on how fast I can run was the 2024 TCS London Marathon. I’m really looking forward to doing that again.”
Sir Mo Farah still holds the British marathon record at 2:05:11, set in Chicago in 2018. He also has the fastest time by a British runner on the London Marathon course, which is a 2:05:39 from 2019. Cairess’s personal best stands at 2:06:46.
“Sir Mo is the greatest ever British endurance athlete,” Cairess said. “Of course I’m aware of his marathon records, but my main focus is being competitive in the world’s best marathons. To do that in London, I know I need to run faster than I ever have before.”
A renewed British rivalry
Cairess will not be alone among British contenders. Patrick Dever is set to make his London Marathon debut after finishing fourth at the 2025 New York City Marathon in 2:08:58, the fastest time ever by an English athlete on that course.
Dever and Cairess have a long shared history. They raced each other as juniors and were separated by a thousandth of a second at the 2019 British Universities Cross Country Championships, with Cairess edging the win.
“I was very proud of my debut in New York,” Dever said. “Now I’m really looking forward to coming back to the UK and racing in London. We’ve had many battles over the years, but never over the marathon distance.”
Also returning are Mahamed Mahamed, who ran 2:07:05 to become the fourth-fastest Brit in history, and Phil Sesemann, who posted back-to-back personal bests in late 2025, including a 2:07:10 in Valencia. Three of the five fastest British marathoners of all time will be on the start line.
Strong depth on the women’s side
The women’s race will be led by Eilish McColgan, who returns to London after an encouraging marathon debut last year. McColgan finished eighth in 2:24:25, a Scottish record and the fourth-fastest time ever by a British woman in London.
Earlier this year, McColgan set a European 10K record of 30:07 in Valencia. She said the experience of her first marathon has given her confidence.
“I’m proud of how I performed last year,” McColgan said. “Now I’ve got one marathon under my belt, I’m excited to use that experience and kick on again.”
Jessica Warner-Judd will also make her London Marathon debut after finishing seventh at the 2025 New York City Marathon in 2:24:45. Abbie Donnelly, who ran 2:24:11 in Frankfurt last October, and Charlotte Purdue, whose personal best is 2:22:17, has the fastest time on paper, and adds further depth to the field.
Five of the ten fastest British women in history will race in London, with less than three minutes separating their best times.
Full Elite field still taking shape
Race organizers have yet to announce the full international elite field, but several of the world’s top marathoners could return. Last year’s leading men, including Sabastian Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo, may feature again, alongside contenders such as Amos Kipruto and Deresa Galeta.
On the women’s side, the top finishers from 2025, Tigst Assefa, Joyciline Jepkosgei, and Sifan Hassan, could also return. Hellen Obiri, the 2025 New York City Marathon winner, remains a possible addition.
For British fans, the focus is already clear. With records in sight and rivalries renewed, the 2026 London Marathon is shaping up as a defining race for the new generation of British distance running.
