- Sifan Hassan has withdrawn from the 2026 London Marathon due to an ongoing Achilles injury, organisers announced on Monday, March 23.
- She first picked up the issue while training on a treadmill six weeks ago and had hoped to recover in time for the race in April.
- With the event slated for April 26, reigning London champion Tigst Assefa will look to defend her title.
Olympic champion Sifan Hassan has pulled out of the 2026 London Marathon due to a lingering Achilles issue.
The 2023 winner first picked up the injury while training on a treadmill six weeks ago and had hoped to be race-ready by Sunday, 26 April. But as preparations ramped up, the 33-year-old Dutchwoman found herself still battling the setback.
“After the incident, I hoped the injury would settle, but as training progressed, it became clear that I wasn’t able to prepare at the level I expect from myself,” Hassan said in a statement to race organizers. “I have to listen to my body and focus on recovering properly. I look forward to returning to race in London again on plenty more occasions in the future.”
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Sifan Hassan withdraws from London Marathon 2026
The three-time Olympic gold medalist first made her marathon debut in the English capital three years ago and has quickly become a dominant force in the event.
Hassan clinched the 2023 London win in 2:18:33; less than six months later, she stormed to victory in Chicago with a time of 2:13:44.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she claimed marathon gold while also securing medals in both the 5,000m and 10,000m events. She placed third at last year’s London Marathon and triumphed at the 2025 Sydney Marathon.
Victories in Chicago and Sydney, along with her Olympic exploits on the streets of Paris, have cemented her status as one of the most decorated distance runners in history.
With the event slated for April 26, reigning London champion Tigst Assefa will look to defend her title.
Following Hassan’s withdrawal, the Ethiopian will now face competition from 2024 winner Peres Jepchirchir, who is also set to race.
The star-studded line-up further includes 2021 London Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei, two-time Boston and New York winner Hellen Obiri, and world bronze medalist Julia Paternain.
That means all of the podium finishers from the 2025 London Marathon, the 2024 Olympic Games, and the 2025 World Championships will be on the start line in the British capital.
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Since 2022, Assefa has racked up two wins in Berlin, one in London, earned world and Olympic silver medals, and set world records of 2:11:53 (mixed) and 2:15:50 (women-only). The Ethiopian has finished in the top two in her past six marathons.
Only two women have beaten Assefa over the marathon distance in the past two years: Hassan and Jepchirchir.
Kenya’s Jepchirchir got the better of Assefa at the 2024 London Marathon and then again in an even tighter finish at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.
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Hassan, meanwhile, out-kicked Assefa in the closing stages of the marathon at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Obiri, who took bronze in Paris, will be making her London Marathon debut, having shattered the New York course record with 2:19:51 at the end of last year.
It will be the first time since the 2024 Olympics that Assefa, Obiri, and Jepchirchir have lined up together in the same race.