Almost every possible award or honour can be found on the CVs of the elite women’s field for the 2026 TCS London Marathon. Reigning World Champion? Yes, Peres Jepchirchir. Reigning Olympic Champion? Yes, Sifan Hassan. Reigning London Marathon Champion? Yes, Tigst Assefa. That is only the start.

That trio – and their many other accomplishments – need no introduction. It will be the first time all three have stood on the same start line since the Olympic Games in Paris. They are not the only athletes to look out for, however.

Hellen Obiri will make her TCS London Marathon debut, favouring the capital ahead of her usual visit to Boston. She won last year’s New York City Marathon and is a two-time winner in Boston.

Another returning winner will be Joyciline Jepkosgei, victorious in 2021. Most recently, she moved to fourth on the all-time list when winning the Valencia Marathon last month in 2:14:00.

Uruguay’s Julia Paternain will return to the country she grew up in to make her London debut. You can hear from Julia about returning to familiar ground here. Ethiopians Megertu Alemu and Degitu Azimeraw have run inside 2:18:00 and also take to the London streets.

They join the strong British field which includes Eilish McColgan, Charlotte Purdue, Jess Warner-Judd and Abbie Donnelly.

TCS London Marathon Elite Women Field

• Tigst Assefa (ETH, PB 2:11:53)
• Sifan Hassan (NED, 2:13:44)
• Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN, 2:14:00)
• Peres Jepchirchir (KEN, 2:14:43)
• Megertu Alemu (ETH, 2:16:34)
• Hellen Obiri (KEN, 2:17:41)
• Degitu Azimeraw (ETH, 2:17:58)
• Catherine Relin Amanang’ole (KEN, 2:20:34)
• Charlotte Purdue (GBR, 2:22:17)
• Laura Luengo (ESP, 2:22:31)
• Rose Harvey (GBR, 2:23:21)
• Abbie Donnelly (GBR, 2:24:11)
• Florencia Borelli (ARG, 2:24:18)
• Eilish McColgan (GBR, 2:24:25)
• Jessica Warner-Judd (GBR, 2:24:45)
• Fadouwa Ledhem (FRA, 2:25:50)
• Marta Galimany (ESP, 2:26:14)
• Lucy Reid (GBR, 2:26:35)
• Julia Paternain (URU, 2:27:09)
• Louise Small (GBR, 2:27:48)
• Alice Wright (GBR, 2:28:48)
• Verity Hopkins (GBR, 2:31:19)

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A strong British contingent will take to the start line of the TCS London Marathon on Sunday 26 April, spearheaded by Emile Cairess and Eilish McColgan.

Cairess, who’s PB is 2:06:46, will have Mo Farah’s British Record (2:05:11) in his sights. 2:05:39 from 2019, the fastest by a British athlete at the London Marathon. He missed last year’s event through injury and was forced to withdraw from the World Championships in Tokyo mid-race.

After making his debuts at last November’s New York City Marathon, Patrick Dever will also compete. Dever finished an impressive fourth in his marathon debut, and will look to impress again at his second marathon major. They will be joined by Phil Sesemann, who improved his PB to 2:07:10 at the Valencia Marathon last month.

With Mahamed Mahamed, Weynay Ghebresilasie and Tewelde Menges due to race, six British men who have run inside 2:10:00 feature on the start list.

Eilish McColgan returns to the capital after a debut of 2:24:25 last year. Most recently, she set a European Record of 30:07 at the Valencia 10k. She will be joined by Jess Warner-Judd, who like Dever made her debut in New York last year. Warner-Judd finished seventh in 2:24:45. She knows the final part of the course well, having won the Mini London Marathon four times.

Also due to race are Charlotte Purdue and Abbie Donnelly, who has improved to 2:24:11 after making her marathon debut last year.

British Male Elite Field

– Emile Cairess (GBR, 2:06:46)

– Mahamed Mahamed (GBR, 2:07:05)

– Philip Sesemann (GBR, 2:07:10)

– Patrick Dever (GBR, 2:08:58)

– Weynay Ghebresilasie (GBR, 2:09:50)

– Tewelde Menges (GBR, 2:09:58)

– George James (GBR, 2:10:10)

– Jake Smith (GBR, 2:11:00)

– Marc Scott (GBR, 2:11:19)

– Jack Rowe (GBR, 2:12:31)

– Andrew Fyfe (GBR, 2:13:20)

– Alex Milne (GBR, 2:14:03)

– Peter Le Grice (GBR, 2:14:45)

– Sean Hogan (GBR, 2:14:51)

– Christopher Thomas (GBR, 2:14:55)

– Jake Barraclough (GBR, 2:14:55)

– Chris Perry (GBR, 2:14:57)

– David Bishop (GBR, 2:15:16)

– Charlie Sandison (GBR, 2:15:38)

– William Mycroft (GBR, 2:15:54)

– Alfie Manthorpe (GBR, Debut)

British Women Elite Field

– Charlotte Purdue (GBR, PB 2:22:17)

– Rose Harvey (GBR, 2:23:21)

– Abbie Donnelly (GBR, 2:24:11)

– Eilish McColgan (GBR, 2:24:25)

– Jessica Warner-Judd (GBR, 2:24:45)

– Lucy Reid (GBR, 2:26:35)

– Louise Small (GBR, 2:27:48)

– Alice Wright (GBR, 2:28:48)

– Verity Hopkins (GBR, 2:31:19)

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After over 300 parkruns were cancelled last weekend due to Storm Goretti, service returned to normal this week. Those out to complete a 5k at 09:00 on Saturday included Laura Hesketh and Harry Sinclair, who top the parkrun rankings this weekend.

Impressively, both ran at Alexandra parkrun in Moss Side. It has been quite a while since both fastest times came at the same venue – there are no questions this week as to which the fastest course was! Laura ran 16:30 whilst Harry ran 15:12. With Power of 10 offline as it transitions to a new platform, there is less context on these runs than usual.

Best of the Rest

Louise Small and Aga Gajownik complete the women’s podium this weekend. Louise ran 16:46 at Burnham and Highbridge, whilst Aga’s time was just one second behind (16:47). She too was at Alexandra.

On the men’s side, Stephen Lyster’s 15:15 at Belfast Victoria puts him second on the rankings. Four seconds back, and across the Irish Sea, Oliver James completes the podium with 15:19 at Albert parkrun in Middlesbrough.

Fastest Course

It’s an easy one this weekend – Alexandra, Moss Side!

Women’s Rankings

Men’s Rankings

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A lot has happened since Keely Hodgkinson last competed indoors. That is understandable, given over 1,000 days have passed (1,048 at the time of writing, to be precise). The long-awaited return of the Olympic Champion to the indoor oval is getting closer, as organisers of the Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais have confirmed Hodgkinson will headline their 800m on Thursday 19 February.

The competition and venue are closely associated with fast middle distance performances. Last year, Jakob Ingebrigtsen broke the World Indoor Record for the mile and 1500m (in the same race). It is one Hodgkinson knows well herself, having competed in both 2021 and 2023. At the latter, she won in a then-PB of 1:57.71. Ten days later, she improved to 1:57.18 at the Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix. It was an impressive trio of races:

• 8 February: 1:57.87, Torun (Poland)
• 15 February: 1:57.71, Lievin (France)
• 25 February: 1:57.18, Birmingham (United Kingdom)

Her last race indoors was her fastest, but she has been vocal in her desire to run faster. Jolanda Ceplak’s World Indoor Record of 1:55.82 has previously been talked about, by Keely and others. It feels destined that, if anyone is to break it, it should be her. Afterall, it was set on the day she was born.

When she last competed indoors, Hodgkinson had an outright PB of 1:55.88. Since then, she has improved by over one second to 1:54.61, one of three runs inside 1:55. One of those – 1:54.74 – came in her return last season, after over a year of no racing. What might be in store indoors this year?

If she is to compete at the World Indoor Championships, the one major medal missing from her CV, she’ll need to compete at the British Indoor Championships. They take place the weekend before Lievin; a perfect tune-up, perhaps.

The Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais, part of the World Indoor Tour Gold, takes place on Thursday 19 February in Lievin (France).

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Josh Kerr has been added to the field for the men’s two mile race at the Millrose Games in New York City on Sunday 1 February. He joins previously announced 1500m Olympic Champion Cole Hocker and two-time Olympic medallist Grant Fisher.

It is a distance and venue he knows well. Kerr set the World Indoor Record of 8:00.67 at the 2024 edition of the Millrose Games.

That is not his only previous race at The Armory. In 2023, he raced his first indoor 3000m in eight years and left The Amory with an emphatic win in 7:33.47. It was, at the time, a Scottish Record and put him third on the British all-time list. His 3000m split in 2024 was over three seconds faster.

He won the Wanamaker Mile at in 2022, finishing in 3:52.27. He also raced over the same distance at the 2018 and 2019 editions of the meeting. Kerr was announced to run the Wanamaker Mile at last year’s meeting. However, he was forced to withdraw due to illness.

The full field will be announced in the future.

Photo: James Rhodes

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Athletes will represent England in the senior and junior (U20) races in Elgoibar, located in northern Spain. The Elgoibar Cross Country Juan Muguerza Memorial was established in 1943. England Athletics has sent teams in recent years to the event to provide valuable international experience.

Senior Men

• Oscar Bell
• Jenson Connell
• Edward Buck
• Jack Millar

Senior Women

• Charlotte Dannatt
• Megan Harris
• Lucy Jones
• Mia Waldmann

U20 Men

• Ewan Busfield
• Jacob Hurrell
• Rory Barclay-Watt
• Myles Fraser

U20 Women

• Sophie Jacobs
• Ava James
• Isla McGowan
• Katie Pye

The squad will be supported by team managers Eamonn Martin (senior men), Sue Lamb (senior women), Keith Holt (U20 men) and Jo Newcombe (U20 women).

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What is better than the opportunity to do two parkruns in 48 hours? Getting to do so twice in as many weeks! The cold weather and icy conditions meant over 300 parkruns were cancelled on Saturday. However, volunteers at the events that took place did a fantastic job in providing a safe environment for participants. Particularly given many recorded record attendance figures.

With 15:27 at Exmouth on New Year’s Day, Innes FitzGerald tops the women’s rankings this week. That time is the fastest ever parkrun by a British female, improving Melissa Courtney-Bryant’s 15:31 from December 2022.

Jack Kavanagh’s 14:48 at Southampton tops the men’s rankings. The Holland Sports runner, who will compete at the Surrey XC Championships tomorrow, is the only athlete to run under fifteen minutes so far this year. His parkrun best is 14:10, the second fastest time recorded last year.

Best of the Rest

Sarah Dufour-Jackson is second this week with a 16:37 at Alexandra parkrun in Moss Side. It comes off the back of an excellent 2025 that included PBs over 5k and 10k and a half marathon debut. It is also Sarah’s fastest ever parkrun. Olivia Tsim completes the podium after running 17:14 at Pontypridd.

Ben Claridge’s 15:05 at Swansea Bay puts him second in the men’s rankings. That time improves his previous parkrun best of 15:21 and is a good start after PBs in distances from 800m to 10k in 2025. Just four seconds behind was Robert Corney who ran 15:09 at Woodley.

Fastest Course

It is a rare occasion where twenty courses cover the twenty available spots on the rankings. However, given the exceptional run by Innes, the honours go to Exmouth this week.

Women’s Rankings

Men’s Rankings

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The top division of these Championships will take place in Madrid, Spain, on June 26-29. A strong squad of 42 athletes representing GB & NI will go up against 15 other countries across four days of competition.

UK Athletics has selected a full team with the aim of achieving the highest possible team placing at the Championships, taking into consideration current form.

From the selected, ten athletes will make their senior international debut.

They will line up alongside a wealth of world and Olympic experience across track and field disciplines; Jazmin Sawyers (Aston Moore, City of Stoke), Lawrence Okoye (Zane Duquemin, Croydon), Calli Hauger-Thackery (Nick Hauger, Hallamshire), Tade Ojora (Joanna Hayes, Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow), Alistair Chalmers (Matt Elias, Guernsey), Scott Lincoln (Dale Stevenson, City of York), and Paris 4x400m relay medallists Toby Harries (David Sadkin, Brighton Phoenix), Sam Reardon (Nigel Sticking, Blackheath & Bromley) and Lina Nielsen (Tony Lester, Shaftesbury Barnet).

The GB&NI team has a rich history in this competition, with the 2021 edition being the last time the GB & NI team finished on the podium, winning the bronze medal.

*those who will be making their senior international debuts

Women

100m: Aleeya Sibbons (Coral Davis, Newham & Essex Beagles)

200m: Rachel Bennett (Anita Richardson, Sale Harriers)*

400m: Emily Newnham (Nick Dakin, Shaftesbury Barnet)

800m: Abigail Ives (Luke Gunn, Basildon)*

1500m: Revee Walcott-Nolan (Thomas Dreissigaker, Luton)

5000m: Calli Hauger-Thackery (Nick Hauger, Hallamshire)

100m Hurdles: Abigail Pawlett (Ashley Bryant, Trafford)

400m Hurdles: Lina Nielsen (Tony Lester, Shaftesbury Barnet)

3000m Steeplechase: Sarah Tait (Linda Smith, Lassawad)*

Long Jump: Jazmin Sawyers (Aston Moore, City of Stoke)

Triple Jump: Georgina Forde-Wells (Lukasz Zawila, Woodford Green Essex Ladies)

High Jump: Emily Borthwick (Wigan & District)

Pole Vault: Gemma Tutton (Richard Pilling, Lewes)*

Shot Put: Serena Vincent (Mike Winch, City of Portsmouth)

Discus: Zara Obamakinwa (Mark Chapman, Blackheath and Bromley)

Hammer: Anna Purchase (Mo Saatara, Notts)

Javelin: Bekah Walton (David Turner, Blackheath & Bromley)

4x100m Relay: Desiree Henry (Linford Christie, Enfield & Haringey), Bianca Williams (Linford Christie, Thames Valley), Imani-Lara Lansiquot (Ryan Freckleton, Sutton & District)

Men

100m: Eugene Amo-Dadzie (Steve Fudge, Woodford Green Essex Ladies)

200m: Toby Harries (David Sadkin, Brighton Phoenix)

400m: Sam Reardon (Nigel Sticking, Blackheath & Bromley)

800m: Tiarnan Crorken (Andrew Henderson, Preston)*

1500m: Archie Davis (Joel Kidger, Brighton Phoenix)

5000m: David Mullarkey (Andrew Henderson, Leeds City)*

110m Hurdles: Tade Ojora (Joanna Hayes, Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)

400m Hurdles: Alastair Chalmers (Matt Elias, Guernsey)

3000m Steeplechase: Will Battershill (Luke Gunn, Bristol & West)

Long Jump: Samuel Khogali (Lukasz Zawila, Woodford Green Essex Ladies)*

Triple Jump: Efe Uwaifo (Daniel Hooker, Harrow)

High Jump: Kimani Jack (Julian Reid, Shaftesbury Barnett)*

Pole Vault: Owen Heard (Kate Rooney, Harrow)*

Shot Put: Scott Lincoln (Dale Stevenson, City of York)

Discus: Lawrence Okoye (Zane Duquemin, Croydon)

Hammer: Jake Norris (Paul Dickenson, Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)

Javelin: Daniel Bainbridge (Tom Dobbing, Shaftesbury Barnet)

4x100m Relay: Romell Glave (Michael Afilaka, Croydon), Jona Efoloko (Ryan Freckleton, Sale Harriers Manchester), Adam Gemili (Marco Airale, Blackheath & Bromley), Joe Ferguson (Richard Kilty, Sheffield & Dearne)

Mixed

Mixed 4x400m Relay: Evan Blackman (Dai Greene, Corby)*

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