Mutiso, Jepchirchir to defend London Marathon titles

In last year’s edition, former Olympic champion Jepchirchir smashed the women-only world record by 45 seconds, winning in 2hours 16mins 16 seconds.

The triumph saw the three-time world half marathon champion notch up her third victory in a World Marathon Majors race finishing ahead of former world record holder Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia and 2021 London winner Joyciline Jepkosgei respectively.

In the men’s race, Mutiso waded off Ethiopia’s legendary distance runner Kenenisa Bekele to emerge the surprise winner in 2:04:01 in his London Marathon debut.

The duo will however face stiff competition in reigning Olympic champions Sifan Hassan and Tamirat Tola, both of whom race organisers announced they would contest at this year’s race.

The last time Jepchirchir faced Hassan was at the Paris Olympics where the Kenyan placed 15th in 2:26:51 while Mutiso finished 21st in the men’s race.

In his most recent race, the Bangsaen21 Half Marathon in Thailand, Mutiso took second in 1:02:34.

Women’s world record holder Ruth Chepng’etich will also be lining up for the London Marathon.

She finished ninth at last year’s event, but just after three months the 30-year-old put on a performance for the ages as she obliterated the women’s marathon world record in Chicago.

The 2019 world champion took nearly two minutes off the previous best to win in two hours, nine minutes and 56 seconds.

Chepngetich, who became the first three-time women’s winner of the Chicago race, broke the previous world record of 2:11:53 set by Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa in 2023 in Berlin

"I want to prepare as best as I can and we will see if we can lower Peres’s world record of 2:16:16 from last year. With the strength of the field, I think we can support each other and maybe the world record will fall,” said Chepngetich.

"I didn't know (setting the world record in Chicago) was possible, but I came to realise that dreams can come true."