We often hear that the best ever elite fields have been assembled for the TCS London Marathon. This year's elite athlete recruitment drive has certainly been a success as three of the four fastest women in history will attempt to set a new women’s only world record on Sunday 21 April! 

Pacemakers will be tasked with keeping the leading women on track for the record, which is possible in London as the elite women run a separate race from the elite men and the masses.

The challenge will be led by Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa, who became the outright women's world record holder when she ran an astonishing 2:11:53 at last September’s BMW Berlin Marathon, obliterating the previous best mark of 2:14:04 set by Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) in 2019.

Assefa and Kosgei are among a stellar list of runners confirmed for the 2024 TCS London Marathon who are targeting smashing the women’s-only world record which has stood for seven years since Mary Keitany (Kenya) ran 2:17:01 at the 2017 London Marathon.

Others with eyes on the record include Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich, fourth-fastest of all time (2:14:18), the reigning Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir (Kenya) and Yalemzerf Yehualaw (Ethiopia) who was the 2022 TCS London Marathon champion.

Hugh Brasher, Event Director of the TCS London Marathon, said: “We are in a golden age of women’s marathon running. When Paula Radcliffe ran her incredible world record of 2:15:25 at the 2003 London Marathon, we had to wait 16 years for Brigid Kosgei to beat it. But since then, a further four women have run faster than Paula’s time including Tigst Assefa, who lowered the world record even further with her stunning run in Berlin last year. Despite this, the women’s only world record of 2:17:01, set by the great Mary Keitany at the London Marathon in 2017, has amazingly stayed intact.

“However, I suspect that with Assefa, Kosgei, and the likes of Ruth Chepngetich, Peres Jepchirchir and Yalemzerf Yehualaw in the field and where a total of ten women have run under 2 hours 17 minutes and 30 seconds, Keitany’s world record is going to be under serious threat at the 2024 TCS London Marathon.”

The elite men’s race is headlined by reigning TCS New York City Marathon champion Tamirat Tola (Ethiopia), the seventh-fastest man in history Mosinet Geremew (Ethiopia, 2:02:55) and Alexander Mutiso Munyao (Kenya) who was runner-up at the 2023 Valencia Marathon in 2:03:11.

Also confirmed is the 2023 TCS London Marathon runner-up Geoffrey Kamworor (Kenya), and the third-fastest marathoner in history Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) who set a new world record in the M40 masters category at the 2023 Valencia Marathon (2:04:19) aged 41. There are ten elite men competitors listed with PBs under 2:05:00.

Perhaps the most exciting British prospect is Emile Cairess (Leeds City AC) who returns after becoming the third-fastest Brit in history (2:08:07) on his TCS London Marathon debut last year. He will be joined by Callum Hawkins (Kilbarchan AC), twice fourth in the World Championships and returning to the London Marathon where he set his 2:08:14 PB in 2019.

Other British men to look out for include marathon debutant Marc Scott (Richmond & Zetland AC) while Mahamed Mahamed (Southampton AC) will run London for the first time after an encouraging debut at Valencia last year in 2:08:40.

The leading British women include Becky Briggs (2:29:04) and Alice Wright (2:29:08), who both represented Great Britain at the 2022 European Championships Marathon.

For previous TCS London Marathon results and stories visit the runABC South race listing here.

Photo of the elite women's 2023 race courtesy TCS London Marathon press office