Sabastian Sawe will defend his London Marathon titles but will face a loaded men’s group as the 2026 elite field was revealed on Thursday.
But he will face a loaded group that might require him to push even harder than his 2025 performance on race day on April 26.
Sawe clocked a 2:02:27 at last year’s race, the second-fastest time on the course, and took the win by over a minute and will hit the start line alongside considerable competition that includes Jacob Kiplimo, Deresa Geleta, Amos Kipruto, Tamirat Tola, Amanal Petros, Geoffrey Kamworor, Joshua Cheptegei and Yomif Kejelcha.
“The TCS London Marathon course is one of the most beautiful and fastest courses in the world,” Sawe said. “It was my first time running in London last year and it was one of the proudest moments of my life to cross the line as champion. I am excited to be coming back in 2026 and I know now a little bit more about what I can expect. I am sure with the quality of athletes coming to London it will take another fast time to win again, perhaps the type of effort the great Kelvin Kiptum put in when he set the course record in 2023.”
Sawe’s time last year is second behind Kiptum’s 2:01:25, but the credentials of his fellow competitors will that the race will like be decided on the closing moments.
Cheptegei is the world record holder in both the 5,000m and 10,000m, while Tola is the reigning Olympic marathon champion, Kipruto won London in 2022 and Geleta is the ninth-fastest man in ever in marathon distance at 2:02:38.
“Sabastian Sawe showed the world at last year’s TCS London Marathon that he is a man that could re-write the marathon record books so we are delighted to welcome him back for this year’s event,” Hugh Brasher, London Marathon Events CEO said. “To run 2:02:27 with a negative split of 60:57 for the second half of the race showed the huge potential he has and we are looking forward to supporting Sabastian run as fast as possible in London on Sunday 26 April.”
2026 TCS London Marathon elite men’s entry list
Sabastian Sawe (Kenya) – 2:02:05
Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) – 2:02:23
Deresa Geleta (Ethiopia) – 2:02:38
Amos Kipruto (Kenya, 2:03:13
Tamirat Tola (Ethiopia) – 2:03:39
Amanal Petros (Germany) – 2:04:03
Geoffrey Kamworor (Kenya, 2:04:23
Joshua Cheptegei (Uganda) – 2:04:52
Shunya Kikuchi (Japan) – 2:06:06
Emile Cairess (Great Britain) – 2:06:46
Mahamed Mahamed (Great Britain) – 2:07:05
Philip Sesemann (Great Britain) – 2:07:10
Hassan Chahdi (France) – 2:07:30
Adam Lipschitz (South Africa) – 2:08:54
Patrick Dever (Great Britain) – 2:08:58
Peter Lynch (Ireland) – 2:09:36
Tim Vincent (Australia) – 2:09:40
Dewi Griffiths (Great Britain) – 2:09:49
Weynay Ghebresilasie (Great Britain) – 2:09:50
Tewelde Menges (Great Britain) – 2:09:58
George James (Great Britain) – 2:10:10
Liam Boudin (Australia) – 2:10:28
Jake Smith (Great Britain) – 2:11:00
Marc Scott (Great Britain) – 2:11:19
Jack Rowe (Great Britain) – 2:12:31
Andrew Fyfe (Great Britain) – 2:13:20
Alex Milne (Great Britain) – 2:14:03
Peter Le Grice (Great Britain) – 2:14:45
Sean Hogan (Great Britain) – 2:14:51
Jack Barraclough (Great Britain) – 2:14:55
Christopher Thomas (Great Britain) – 2:14:55
Chris Perry (Great Britain) – 2:14:57
David Bishop (Great Britain) – 2:15:16
Charlie Sandison (Great Britain) – 2:15:38
William Mycroft (Great Britain) – 2:15:54
Yomif Kejelcha (Ethiopia) – Debut
Hagos Gebrhiwet (Ethiopia) – Debut
Isaia Kipkoech Lasio (Kenya) – Debut
Alfie Manthorpe (Great Britain) – Debut
