The 2025 London Marathon is shaping up to be an absolute showstopper, the kind of race that running fans—and honestly, even casual sports fans—will talk about for years. With an elite lineup that’s basically a “who’s who” of marathon legends, records begging to be broken, and the electric vibe of London as the backdrop, this year’s race is going to be epic. Here’s why it’s the race of the year you absolutely can’t miss.
The Elite Field Is Next-Level
Let’s start with the obvious: the athletes.
The men’s field alone is so stacked it feels like a cheat code. Kenyan rookie sensation Sabastian Sawe, who blew everyone’s minds with his 2:02:05 debut in Valencia, will be lining up with reigning Olympic champ Tamirat Tola and last year’s London Marathon winner Alexander Mutiso. And don’t forget Timothy Kiplagat, who clocked a 2:02:55 in Seville, and Ethiopia’s rising star Milkesa Mengesha, fresh off a 2:03:17 win in Berlin. That’s five guys with personal bests under 2:04—and they’re all gunning for glory. It’s like watching Avengers assemble but for marathons.
The women’s field? Equally bonkers. You’ve got world record holder Ruth Chepngetich, who ran a jaw-dropping 2:09:56 in Chicago, battling it out with Peres Jepchirchir, the reigning Olympic champ and defending London Marathon winner who set the women’s only world record last year. Add Tigst Assefa, who smashed the Berlin course record with her 2:11:53 (which was a world record at the time), and Sifan Hassan, the ultimate wild card who’s proven she can win at any distance. It’s going to be a showdown of the greatest runners alive.
The Names Making London So Great:
Peres Jepchirchir 🇰🇪
Personal Best: 2:16:16
Peres Jepchirchir is a veteran in the marathon world, who set the women’s-only marathon world record with a time of 2:16:16 at last year’s 2024 London Marathon. She is the defending champion of the London Marathon and is renowned for being consistent and tactically astute in championship style races (meaning there are no male pacers). More of Jepchirchir’s achievements include winning the Olympic marathon in 2021 and securing victories in New York and Boston.
Ruth Chepngetich 🇰🇪
Personal Best: 2:09:56
Ruth Chepngetich is the current women’s marathon world record holder after she clocked a groundbreaking time of 2:09:56 at the 2024 Chicago Marathon. This remarkable, yet equally controversial, feat made her the first woman to run under 2:10:00 in the marathon. Chepngetich is also a three-time Chicago Marathon winner and clinched the gold medal at the 2019 World Championships. She is set to compete in the 2025 London Marathon, aiming to further lower the world record.
Tigst Assefa 🇪🇹
Personal Best: 2:11:53
Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia made headlines by setting a then-world record time of 2:11:53 at the 2023 Berlin Marathon. This performance, seemingly coming out of nowhere, made her one of the biggest names among the fastest women marathoners in history. Assefa transitioned from middle-distance running to marathons and alongside setting the world record in 2023, also secured a silver medal in the Olympic marathon in Paris after a nail-bitting finish with Sifan Hassan.
Sifan Hassan 🇳🇱
Personal Best: 2:13:44
Dutch runner Sifan Hassan is arguably the most versatile athlete we’ve ever seen. She’s able to compete with the best of the best (often winning) in races ranging from the 1,500m all the way to the marathon. She made a stunning marathon debut by winning the 2023 London Marathon with a time of 2:18:33. Hassan then improved her personal best to 2:13:44 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, making her the second-fastest women, at the time, in marathon history. Last year, she won the Olympic marathon in a nail-bitting sprint finish…after already winning a bronze medal just ays earlier in the 5,000m and the 10,000m. Talk about epic.
Alexander Mutiso 🇰🇪
Personal Best: 2:03:11
Alexander Mutiso is a Kenyan marathoner who has quickly risen in the ranks of elite marathon running. He set a personal best of 2:03:11 at the 2023 Valencia Marathon, where he finished as the runner-up. Mutiso claimed victory at the 2024 London Marathon with a time of 2:04:01, marking his first major marathon win.
Sabastian Sawe 🇰🇪
Personal Best: 2:02:05
Sabastian Sawe made a remarkable marathon debut by winning the 2024 Valencia Marathon with a time of 2:02:05, the fifth-fastest marathon time ever recorded. Prior to this, Sawe secured the world half marathon title, showcasing his versatility and strength in long-distance events.
Timothy Kiplagat 🇰🇪
Personal Best: 2:02:55
Timothy Kiplagat, a rising star in Kenyan long-distance running, solidified his place among the world’s elite marathoners with a standout performance at the 2024 Seville Marathon, where he clocked 2:02:55. Known for his consistent pacing and strong second-half surges, Kiplagat has developed a reputation for excelling in fast, flat courses, so London could be right up his ally
Milkesa Mengesha 🇪🇹
Personal Best: 2:03:17
Milkesa Mengesha is one of Ethiopia’s brightest marathon talents, having transitioned successfully from track to road racing. Mengesha’s most significant victory came at the 50th Berlin Marathon in 2024, where he clocked a personal best of 2:03:17, defeating a competitive field that included several Olympic and World Championship medalists. Earlier in his career, Mengesha was a standout junior athlete, winning the gold medal in the U20 race at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships.
Tamirat Tola 🇪🇹
Personal Best: 2:03:39
Tamirat Tola is one of Ethiopia’s most accomplished marathoners, with a career that boasts Olympic medals, World Championship titles, and world-class marathon performances. He holds a personal best of 2:03:39, achieved at the 2021 Amsterdam Marathon, where he finished second. Tola won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Marathon, setting an Olympic record time of 2:06:26 under challenging weather conditions. He is also the reigning World Champion, having claimed the marathon title at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Eliud Kipchoge 🇰🇪
Personal Best: 2:01:09
Eliud Kipchoge is a running legend, plain and simple. He held the former marathon world record of 2:01:09, set at the 2022 Berlin Marathon, and has dominated every major race you can think of—London, Berlin, Tokyo, Chicago—you name it, he’s probably won it. Oh, and let’s not forget the time in 2019 when he became the first human to run a marathon in under two hours (1:59:40 during the INEOS 1:59 Challenge). Sure, it wasn’t an official race, but come on, it’s still mind-blowing. On top of everything, he’s also got two Olympic gold medals from 2016 Rio and 2021 Tokyo. While Kipchoge had a rocky year in 2024, he’ll undoubtedly be looking for redemption among the stacked field in London.
Records Are on Notice
London is known for its flat, fast course, which means one thing: we might see history being made. On the men’s side, the course record of 2:01:25 could be looking nervous, especially with a wildcard like Sawe in the mix. His Valencia run wasn’t just fast—it was a terrifyingly good debut. Pair that with the fact that the London field always goes hard, and we could be looking at something special.
Over on the women’s side, things are just as spicy. Although we have the world record holder in the mix, we don’t think 2:09:56 is the number you need to keep your eye on. Instead, we’ll be watching the clock for 2:16:16 to see if the women’s only world record comes falling. Last year, Peres Jepchirchir ran a brilliant race, showing her experience, and ran a championship-style race to perfection, breaking that women’s only world record in the process.
Considering we have the three fastest women of all time in the field in Chepngetich, Assefa, and Hassan, alongside the current women’s only world record holder in Jepchirchir, there’s no telling what could happen on the streets of London in April.
All in all, no record is safe in London, and we’re here for it.
At the end of the day, the 2025 London Marathon has all the ingredients for greatness: an all-star cast of runners, record-breaking potential, and the buzz of one of the world’s most exciting cities. Whether you’re a die-hard running fan or just someone who loves watching people do incredible things, this is the race to watch. So mark your calendar, set your alarms, and get ready for a marathon that’ll leave you talking long after the finish line is crossed.
Editor’s note: This article previously stated that Eliud Kipchoge is the current world record holder in the marathon. The late Kelvin Kiptum is the world record holder (2:00:35 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon). Kipchoge was the previous record holder in a time of 2:01:09, and since Kiptum’s death is the fastest living marathoner.
