Kenya’s hopes for today’s London Marathon rest firmly on Sabastian Sawe, the defending champion, as he lines up for another high-stakes race on one of athletics’ biggest stages.
The men’s elite race is set for Sunday, 26 April 2026, with close to 60,000 runners taking part overall, but much of the attention is on Sawe as he seeks to repeat last year’s success.
Sawe returns to London after winning the 2025 race in 2 hours 2 minutes 27 seconds, the second‑fastest winning time in the marathon’s history.
His appearance today has raised hopes back home that Kenya can once again dominate on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
The Kenyan star is up against a deep and competitive field that includes former champions, Olympic gold medallists, and in-form rivals from Ethiopia and Uganda.
Despite that, Sawe is widely considered one of the favorites, thanks to his proven ability to handle London’s flat yet demanding course and his strong finishing speed.
London has long been a happy hunting ground for Kenyan runners, and Sawe is eager to add his name to the list of champions who have dominated the race once again.
Sawe’s Title Defense Begins
Sawe will again face Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, the half-marathon world record holder, who finished second to the Kenyan at the Kenyan’s 2025 marathon debut.
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Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta is the third-fastest man in the field, with a personal best under 2 hours 3 minutes.
His compatriot Tamirat Tola, the reigning Olympic marathon champion, is also among the leading contenders.
Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, the Paris 2024 Olympic 10,000-meter champion and a multiple world titleholder, is seeking to make an impact in the marathon, further strengthening the East African challenge.
Kenya’s Amos Kipruto, the 2022 London Marathon winner, is the other Kenyan in the men’s elite race, giving the country two experienced front-runners.
Britain’s Mahamed Mahamed, who finished fourth in the 2024 edition, is the fastest home runner in the field after the withdrawal of Emile Cairess, who placed third in London in 2024 and finished fourth at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Women’s Elite Race
Kenya is also strongly represented in the women’s elite race, which is shaping up as one of the most competitive contests of the day.
Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa is aiming to retain the title she won in 2025, when she set a women‑only world record of 2 hours 15 minutes 50 seconds.
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Assefa is the top seed after podium finishes at the Paris 2024 Olympics and the World Championships in Tokyo.
Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei, the 2021 London Marathon winner and runner‑up last year, is the second‑fastest woman in the field and one of the leading challengers for victory.
Olympic bronze medallist Hellen Obiri of Kenya is also among the top contenders, bringing proven championship experience to the race.
Britain’s Eilish McColgan leads the home challenge after finishing eighth in her marathon debut last year, while Rose Harvey is the fastest British athlete in the field following her ninth‑place finish in 2025.
The London Marathon start line is spread across Blackheath and Greenwich, with runners covering 42.195 kilometers through the city before finishing on The Mall near Buckingham Palace.
The route passes several landmarks, including Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, and the River Thames, and is widely regarded as one of the fastest marathon courses in the world.
Beyond the elite competition, the London Marathon remains the world’s largest annual one‑day fundraising event, with participants running for hundreds of charities from around the globe.
Since its launch in 1981, the race has raised more than £1 billion (Ksh174.88 billion) for charitable causes.
