The defending champion believes a course file could also be required for him to win for a second 12 months in a row.
Sabastian Sawe headlines a star-studded TCS London Marathon elite males’s area that additionally contains the likes of Jacob Kiplimo, Joshua Cheptegei, Tamirat Tola and Yomif Kejelcha.
The Kenyan’s profitable time of two:02:27 final 12 months, which included a blistering 60:57 over the second half of the course, was the second quickest mark set on the occasion, solely behind the late Kelvin Kiptum.
Kiptum, who remains to be the world record-holder with 2:00:35, set the course file of two:01:25 again in 2023, and Sawe thinks that that whoever wins might need to higher that mark.
Sawe stated: “The TCS London Marathon course is among the most stunning and quickest programs on the planet. It was my first time working in London final 12 months and it was one of many proudest moments of my life to cross the road as champion.
“I’m excited to be coming again in 2026 and I do know now just a little bit extra about what I can anticipate. I’m positive with the standard of athletes coming to London it is going to take one other quick time to win once more, maybe the kind of effort the nice Kelvin Kiptum put in when he set the course file in 2023.”
The calibre of the sector has led Sawe to make that prediction.
Kiplimo, given he was final 12 months’s runner-up, may very properly be Sawe’s closest challenger. The Ugandan athlete grew to become a triple senior particular person champion on the World Cross Nation Championships in Tallahassee earlier this month and likewise set a world half-marathon file of 56:42 final season, in addition to triumphing on the Chicago Marathon.
Cheptegei is the present Olympic 10,000m champion and holds world data in each the 5000m (12:35.36) and 10,000m (26:11.00). Tola is the reigning Olympic marathon champion and arrives in London off the again of clocking 2:05:40 to win the Doha Marathon by Ooredoo.
Kejelcha will likely be making his marathon debut after a glowing observe profession that included a silver medal within the 10,000m on the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Different athletes to be careful for are Kenya’s Amos Kipruto, the 2022 TCS London Marathon champion, and Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta, the ninth-fastest man in historical past over the marathon with 2:02:38.
Germany’s Amanal Petros, who secured a silver medal within the marathon on the World Athletics Championships – lacking out on gold in dramatic style by simply 0.03 seconds – will lead the European cost alongside Britain’s Emile Cairess, who was introduced alongside the complete home fields earlier this week.
Hugh Brasher, London Marathon Occasions CEO, stated: “Sabastian Sawe confirmed the world finally 12 months’s TCS London Marathon that he’s a person that might re-write the marathon file books so we’re delighted to welcome him again for this 12 months’s occasion. To run 2:02:27 with a unfavorable cut up of 60:57 for the second half of the race confirmed the large potential he has and we’re trying ahead to supporting Sabastian run as quick as doable in London on Sunday 26 April.
“We’re delighted to have such unbelievable storylines and depth throughout all our elite races within the 2026 TCS London Marathon. From a British perspective, we’re all excited to see how briskly Emile Cairess and Eilish McColgan can run whereas the reunion of Tigst Assefa, Peres Jepchirchir and Sifan Hassan within the elite girls’s race is a mouthwatering prospect for athletics followers internationally.
“Lastly, there may be Marcel Hug’s bid to hitch David Weir as essentially the most profitable athlete in London Marathon historical past within the wheelchair races. It guarantees to be one other unbelievable 12 months on the TCS London Marathon.”
2026 TCS London Marathon elite males entry listing
Sabastian Sawe (KEN, PB 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)Dewi Griffiths (GBR, 2:09:49)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)Jack Rowe (GBR, 2:12:31)Andrew Fyfe (GBR, 2:13:20)Alex Milne (GBR, 2:14:03)Peter Le Grice (GBR, 2:14:45)Sean Hogan (GBR, 2:14:51)Jack Barraclough (GBR, 2:14:55)Christopher Thomas (GBR, 2:14:55)Chris Perry (GBR, 2:14:57)David Bishop (GBR, 2:15:16)Charlie Sandison (GBR, 2:15:38)William Mycroft (GBR, 2:15:54)Yomif Kejelcha (ETH, Debut)Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH, Debut)Isaia Kipkoech Lasio (KEN, Debut)Alfie Manthorpe (GBR, Debut)
