Tigst Assefa will look to defend her London Marathon title against a loaded group on April 26 as the women’s elite field was unveiled on Wednesday.
Assefa kicks off her season with eyes on another commanding performance at the site of her 2:15.50 women’s-only world record last year will be joined by Sifan Hassan, Peres Jepchirchir, Joyciline Jepkosgei and Hellen Obiri.
“Winning last year’s TCS London Marathon and setting a women-only world record was one of the proudest moments of my career and I want to repeat that again this year,” Assefa said. “To do that I know I will have to beat great champions like Peres and Sifan. They have been tough competitors for me and we have had some great battles, I hope that this year I can come out on top.”
Grabbing the top podium spot in London won’t be simple as Hassan and Jepchirchir have both thrived to surge to would-be wins from Assefa.
At the 2024 London Marathon, Jepchirchir threw down a late kick to pull off the win in 2:16:16, a women’s-only world record until Assefa took the mark the following year. Jepchirchir inched past her again in 2:24:43 at the 2025 World Championships marathon in Tokyo.
Meanwhile, in an epic battle down the stretch at the 2024 Paris Games, Hassan’s late sprint away from Assefa sealed the gold in 2:22:55, an Olympic record.
Assefa can change the narrative against Jepchirchir and Hassan at the same time on the same course in London in April.
“For the past two years, the women-only world record has been broken at the TCS London Marathon and with the calibre of athletes we have coming to London this April, it would be no surprise if the record of 2:15:50 set by Tigst Assefa last year is broken once again,” Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events said. “With the full set of medallists from the Paris Olympic Games – Sifan Hassan, Assefa and Hellen Obiri – the reigning world champion, Peres Jepchirchir, and Joyciline Jepkosgei, who was the fastest woman in the world over the marathon distance last year, it promises to be a spectacular race.”
Great Britain will not only serve as the race host, but will also be represented on the course as Eilish McColgan, Jess Warner-Judd and Abbie Donnelly will also join the stacked women’s group.
2026 TCS London Marathon elite women’s entry list
Tigst Assefa (Ethiopia) – 2:11:53
Sifan Hassan (Netherlands) – 2:13:44
Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya) – 2:14:00
Peres Jepchirchir (Kenya) – 2:14:43
Hellen Obiri (Kenya) – 2:17:41
Degitu Azimeraw (Ethiopia) – 2:17:58
Catherine Reline Amanang’ole (Kenya) – 2:20:34
Balemelay Shumet (Ethiopia) – 2:21:59
Charlotte Purdue (Great Britain) – 2:22:17
Laura Luengo (Spain) – 2:22:31
Rose Harvey (Great Britain) – 2:23:21
Abbie Donnelly (Great Britain) – 2:24:11
Florencia Borelli (Argentina) – 2:24:18
Eilish McColgan (Great Britain) – 2:24:25
Jessica Warner-Judd (Great Britain) – 2:24:45
Fadouwa Ledhem (France) – 2:25:50
Marta Galimany (Spain) – 2:26:14
Lucy Reid (Great Britain) – 2:26:35
Julia Paternain (Uruguay) – 2:27:09
Louise Small (Great Britain) – 2:27:48
Alice Wright (Great Britain) – 2:28:48
Verity Hopkins (Great Britain) – 2:31:19
