All eyes will be on Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe this Sunday, April 26, as he returns to the streets of London targeting to win the London Marathon 2026.
The defending champion arrived in the capital this week aiming to become the first man to successfully defend the London Marathon title since the great Eliud Kipchoge achieved the feat in 2019.
Sawe, who stunned the world last year with a blistering winning time of 2:02:27, is currently the man to beat in the Abbott World Marathon Majors circuit.
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Sawe faces his stiffest challenge from Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo. Kiplimo, the half-marathon world record holder, finished second to Sawe in 2025 during his marathon debut.
Now more experienced and coming off a fresh world record of 57:20 set in Lisbon last month, Kiplimo is widely tipped to push Sawe to the limit.
“Coming back as the defending champion is a different feeling,” Sawe told reporters during the pre-race press conference.
“Last year I was the challenger, but now I am the target. My training has been geared specifically toward the rhythm of this course, and I am ready to protect my title. With the quality of this field, I think it might take a course record,something like the late Kelvin Kiptum’s 2:01:25 to win on Sunday,” he remarked.
The men’s field also features Olympic champion Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia and the highly anticipated marathon debut of track star Yomif Kejelcha.
While Sawe headlines the elite men’s field, he is supported by a formidable contingent of Kenyan compatriots who are equally capable of standing on the podium.
Among the key names to watch is Amos Kipruto, the 2022 London champion who is eager to reclaim his crown after a season of rigorous preparation in Kapsabet.
The Kenyan charge also includes the experienced Geoffrey Kamworor, a multiple-time world half-marathon champion looking for redemption on the London course, and Alexander Mutiso Munyao, who pushed the pace last year to finish in the top three.