Assefa targets repeat of record-breaking London win

Reigning champion Tigst Assefa is targeting a repeat of her record-breaking London Marathon victory when she resumes her fascinating rivalry with Olympic champion Sifan Hassan and world champion Peres Jepchirchir in this year’s race.

Four of the six fastest women in history will go head-to-head at the London Marathon on Sunday, 26 April, with Joyciline Jepkosgei also set to compete.

Assefa set a women-only world record by triumphing in a time of two hours 15 minutes 50 seconds in 2025.

But the Ethiopian was denied golds at the past two major global athletics championships in dramatic sprint finishes against rivals Hassan and Jepchirchir, themselves both past winners in London.

“Winning last year’s London Marathon and setting a women-only world record was one of the proudest moments of my career, and I want to repeat that again this year,” said Assefa.

The women-only world record applies to races that take place without male pacemakers or competitors.

Assefa previously held the outright women’s world record after running 2:11:53 in Berlin in 2023.

She remains the second-fastest female marathon runner in history, behind Ruth Chepngetich, who was banned from the sport for three years after the Kenyan admitted to anti-doping rule violations following a positive test in March last year.

Chepngetich’s achievements that pre-date that sample, including her world record time of 2:09:56 in Chicago in 2024, still stand.

While no female athlete in history had run below Paula Radcliffe’s long-standing record of 2:15:25 until 2019, eight have surpassed that mark in the past seven years – including Assefa, Dutch star Hassan (2:13:44) and Kenyans Jepkosgei (2:14:00) and Jepchirchir (2:14:43).

Also confirmed for this year’s London Marathon is Uruguay’s Julia Paternain, who was raised in the UK and made headlines for her stunned reaction to completing the world podium with an unexpected bronze last year.

The unveiling of the elite women’s line-up at the London Marathon follows the announcement of the elite British entries, which include Emile Cairess and Eilish McColgan.