The podiums of last year’s World Championships and the 2024 Olympic Games will reunite at the TCS London Marathon on Sunday 26 April.

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)