Just like London buses, you wait for ages for a mass participation London Marathon, then two come along seemingly at once. It only seems like yesterday when the 42nd TCS London Marathon saw victories for Kenyan athlete Amos Kipruto (2:04:39) and Ethiopia's Yalemzerf Yehualaw (2:17:26) – both of whom were making their London debuts, as we reported here.

Last year's event on 2 October was (hopefully) the last of the Covid-19 displaced races to be held in the autumn and we are now back on track with the 43rd Abbott World Marathon Majors race returning to the spring calendar on Sunday 23 April 2023.

The first major announcement from London Marathon Events is the British elite field and the marquee signings of Sir Mo Farah and Eilish McColgan to head that category. These two athletes are at opposite ends of their career spectrums – Sir Mo talking of retirement after his final London Marathon and Eilish making her much-anticipated marathon debut after sensibly withdrawing from last October's race after an incredibly hectic season.

Sir Mo, who will be returning to his home city marathon for the first time since 2019 and who holds the British record at 2:05:11, said: “I was really disappointed to miss last October’s TCS London Marathon because of injury. But I’m so happy the event has returned to April for 2023 as I don’t have to wait a whole year to get another chance. The London Marathon has always been special to me and I am looking forward to being back out there on the roads of my home town.” 

Eilish, the Commonwealth 10,000m champion and British 10K record holder, is also looking forward to the race her mother won in 1996: “It was disappointing not to have taken part in last year’s TCS London Marathon. I had such a fantastic summer on the track and the plan was always to follow that with my marathon debut in London. But I have been able to take further time to fully prepare for running a marathon and April will come around very quickly, so I am extremely excited. The London Marathon is obviously a special event for me and my family with my mum having won the 1996 race and I just can’t wait to experience it for myself.”

The elite British men's entry includes seven men with PBs better than 2:12:00 and three women inside 2:30:00 – a mark that McColgan will surely blitz on her debut in just over three months' time. This year's London Marathon will again host the UK Marathon Championships and the leading contenders include the second-fastest British female of all time, Jess Piasecki (2:22:27), and joint British 10K record holder (with Sir Mo, 27:44) Emile Cairess on his debut.

For a link to previous London Marathon results and stories visit runABC race listing here

Image courtesy TCS London Marathon press office