- Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe is confident this season that he can go beyond last year’s success, when he headlines the 2026 London Marathon on 26 April.
- The star-studded field also features Jacob Kiplimo, Joshua Cheptegei, Tamirat Tola and Yomif Kejelcha.
- Sawe dominated last year’s event in 2:02:27 – the second-fastest London Marathon time in history.
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe is confident this season he will surpass last year’s achievement when he headlines the 2026 London Marathon on 26 April, aiming to defend the debut championship he claimed in 2025.
Given a lineup featuring stars like Jacob Kiplimo, Joshua Cheptegei, Tamirat Tola, and Yomif Kejelcha, Sawe believes the field announced on Thursday (29) is so strong that a course record might be necessary for him to secure the World Athletics Platinum Label road race title for a second consecutive year.
The TCS London Marathon course is one of the most beautiful and fastest courses in the world,” Sawe told Athletics World.
It was my first time running in London last year and it was one of the proudest moments of my life to cross the line as champion. I am excited to be coming back in 2026 and I know now a little bit more about what I can expect.”
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Sawe predicts course record fight in blockbuster 2026 London Marathon
The elite caliber of this year’s competition leads Sawe to predict that the winner will likely need to break the course record of 2:01:25, set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in 2023.
I am sure with the quality of athletes coming to London it will take another fast time to win again, perhaps the type of effort the great Kelvin Kiptum put in when he set the course record in 2023.”
Sawe dominated last year’s event in 2:02:27 – the second-fastest London Marathon time in history, just 22 seconds shy of his personal best of 2:02:05 set in Valencia in 2024.
After his London victory last year, Sawe triumphed in Berlin, maintaining an undefeated marathon streak so far (Valencia 2024, London 2025, and Berlin 2025).
Sawe will face a direct rematch with Kiplimo, who finished as runner-up to him in London during his own marathon debut, setting a Ugandan record of 2:03:37.
ALSO READ: Sabastian Sawe wins Berlin Marathon 2025
Kiplimo later improved that mark to 2:02:23 when winning in Chicago last October, and more recently claimed his third consecutive world cross-country title in Tallahassee.
His compatriot Cheptegei, the world record-holder over 5000m and 10,000m, returns to marathon action following his personal best of 2:04:52 set in Amsterdam in October.
Ethiopia’s Olympic marathon champion Tamirat Tola has also been confirmed, coming fresh off a victory in Doha just two weeks ago.
His fellow Ethiopians Yomif Kejelcha, a two-time world 10,000m silver medallist, and Hagos Gebrhiwet, an Olympic and world medallist over 5000m, are set to make their highly anticipated marathon debuts.
Other standout names in this year’s field include Kenya’s 2022 London Marathon champion Amos Kipruto, two-time New York City Marathon winner Geoffrey Kamworor, and Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta, the ninth-fastest marathoner in history (2:02:38).
2026 London Marathon – Leading Entries
- Sabastian Sawe (KEN) 2:02:05
- Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) 2:02:23
- Deresa Geleta (ETH) 2:02:38
- Amos Kipruto (KEN) 2:03:13
- Tamirat Tola (ETH) 2:03:39
- Amanal Petros (GER) 2:04:03
- Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 2:04:23
- Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) 2:04:52
- Shunya Kikuchi (JPN) 2:06:06
- Emile Cairess (GBR) 2:06:46
- Mahamed Mahamed (GBR) 2:07:05
- Philip Sesemann (GBR) 2:07:10
- Hassan Chahdi (FRA) 2:07:30
- Adam Lipschitz (RSA) 2:08:54
- Patrick Dever (GBR) 2:08:58
- Peter Lynch (IRL) 2:09:36
- Tim Vincent (AUS) 2:09:40
- Weynay Ghebresilasie (GBR) 2:09:50
- Tewelde Menges (GBR) 2:09:58
- George James (GBR) 2:10:10
- Liam Boudin (AUS) 2:10:28
- Jake Smith (GBR) 2:11:00
- Marc Scott (GBR) 2:11:19
- Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH) debut
- Yomif Kejelcha (ETH) debut