Everything you need to know about this weekend\u2019s big event in the British capital<\/h5>\n
As the London Marathon reverts to its traditional spring date, the 2023 event on Sunday (April 23) looks poised to be bigger and better than ever. All of the elite and wheelchair race winners from the last event in October return to defend their titles, with many more world-class distance runners capable of claiming their crown. If you enjoy trying to pick winners, last weekend\u2019s Grand National horse race at Aintree was probably easier to predict.<\/p>\n
Last October the elite races were won by Amos Kipruto<\/a> of Kenya and Yalemzerf Yehualaw<\/a> of Ethiopia, with Swiss duo Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner<\/a> taking wheelchair victories. With the Boston Marathon<\/a>\u00a0taking place six days before London, the British event is never likely to get everyone it wants. Most notably, Eliud Kipchoge chose to run Boston rather than chase his fifth London victory. Nevertheless, London can be pretty proud of its line-ups.<\/p>\n As well as the defending champions, Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia and Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya both have sub-2:02 PBs on their running resume. There\u2019s also world champion Tamirat Tola and fellow Ethiopian and 2:02 man Birhanu Legese.<\/p>\n It is 30 years since a British man won the London Marathon. In 1993 Eamonn Martin stormed to victory and has told AW<\/em> he doesn\u2019t want to go to his grave being the last male domestic winner of this iconic event. We\u2019re unlikely to see the 30-year curse broken this year, but there are high hopes for Emile Cairess doing something special on his debut, while Phil Sesemann, Weynay Ghebresilassie, Chris Thompson and of course British record-holder Mo Farah \u2013 in possibly his final major race \u2013 will be determined to make an impact, too.<\/p>\n The women\u2019s field is even more stacked with Yalemzerf defending her title against world record-holder Brigid Kosgei of Kenya, Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya, Dutch debutante Sifan Hassan, plus Ethiopians Almaz Ayana and Genzebe Dibaba.<\/p>\n Eilish McColgan leads the British challenge in the women\u2019s race and, if she can master the marathon on her debut and overcome the fuelling problems that saw her scratch from last year\u2019s race, then she could give Paula Radcliffe\u2019s British record of 2:15:25 a fright. That performance by Radcliffe celebrates its 20th<\/sup> anniversary this month and, while it was described as a \u2018quantum leap\u2019 in 2003, it could be made to look fairly ordinary on Sunday if the aforementioned elites lace up their super-shoes and perform to their potential.<\/p>\n Here is a closer look at the elite fields.<\/p>\n Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:14:04<\/strong> \u2013 broke Paula Radcliffe\u2019s long-standing world record in Chicago 2018<\/a> and has won in London in 2019 and 2020.<\/p>\n Brigid Kosgei (Mark Shearman)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) 2:17:16<\/strong> \u2013 unbeaten over the marathon distance, winning all five of her races to date in Saitama, Valencia, New York, Boston and the Olympics in Sapporo<\/a>.<\/p>\n Peres Jepchirchir (Getty)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Almaz Ayana (ETH) 2:17:20<\/strong> \u2013 set a world 10,000m record when winning Olympic gold in Rio in 2016 but then had a quiet spell due to injury and motherhood before returning to run the then-fastest debut marathon by a woman in Amsterdam<\/a> last October.<\/p>\n Almaz Ayana (Amsterdam Marathon)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) 2:17:23<\/strong> \u2013 her best time came when winning in Hamburg 12 months ago but she then clocked 2:17:26 to win in London<\/a> a few months later. Holds the world 10km record with 29:14 and her half-marathon best of 63:51 is No.2 all-time.<\/p>\n Yalemzerf Yehualaw (Mark Shearman)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:17:29<\/strong> \u2013 a former teenage track talent, she took a break from the sport for a while and last year placed third in Valencia on her marathon debut. Originally due to race Boston this week.<\/p>\n Tadu Teshome (ETH) 2:17:36<\/strong> \u2013 only 21 years old, placed fourth in Valencia in December. She nearly didn\u2019t become an athlete at all after doctors advised that she should have her leg amputated following injuries sustained by flood waters caused by a storm. Fortunately her mother refused to let her daughter have surgery.<\/p>\n Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) 2:18:05<\/strong> \u2013 world record holder for 1500m with 3:50:07 as well as the world champion over 1500m in 2015, the 32-year-old placed second to Ayana on her marathon debut in Amsterdam last September.<\/p>\n Genzebe Dibaba<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Sutume Kebede (ETH) 2:18:12<\/strong> \u2013 an experienced marathoner, her best time came when finishing runner-up in Seoul last year and she was eighth in London in October.<\/p>\n Judith Korir (KEN) 2:18:20<\/strong> \u2013 after largely bypassing the track for the roads, in 2022 she won the Paris Marathon, was silver medallist at the World Championships behind Gotytom Gebreslase and placed fourth in London.<\/p>\n Alemu Megertu (ETH) 2:18:32<\/strong> \u2013 ran her PB when winning the Seville Marathon last year and was later third in London.<\/p>\n Natasha Wodak (CAN) 2:23:12<\/strong> \u2013 broke the Canadian marathon record in Berlin last year and was 13th<\/sup> in the Tokyo Olympics marathon.<\/p>\n Susanna Sullivan (USA) 2:25:14<\/strong> \u2013 sixth in Chicago last October and leads the US challenge in London after the withdrawals of Keira D\u2019Amato and Emily Sisson.<\/p>\n Sofiia Yaremchuck (ITA) 2:25:36<\/strong> \u2013 born in Ukraine, she has raced for Italy since 2021 and won the Venice Marathon that same year.<\/p>\n Ellie Pashley (AUS) 2:26:21<\/strong> \u2013 the 34-year-old was 23rd<\/sup> in the Olympic marathon and fifth in the Commonwealth Games last year.<\/p>\n Alice Wright (GBR) 2:29:08<\/strong> \u2013 the US-based Brit broke 2:30 on her marathon debut last year in Houston and did it again when 11th<\/sup> in Osaka earlier this year.<\/p>\n Alice Wright (Mark Shearman)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Sam Harrison (GBR) 2:32:22<\/strong> \u2013 after taking up running in 2018 she has made a big impact on the British road rankings with, among other things, a 67:17 half-marathon in Berlin last month. If things go well she looks capable of demolishing her marathon best, which was set in London in 2021.<\/p>\n Samantha Harrison (SCC Events)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Eilish McColgan (GBR) Debut<\/strong> \u2013 after breaking British records in 5000m and 10,000m on the track (and roads) plus the half-marathon with a recent 65:43 in Berlin<\/a>, she is making an exciting marathon debut in London. Her brilliant recent spell also includes winning Commonwealth 10,000m gold in Birmingham<\/a>, whereas her mother Liz, of course, was London Marathon winner in 1996.<\/p>\n Eilish McColgan (SCC Events)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Sifan Hassan (NED) Debut<\/strong> \u2013 reigning Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion is tackling 26.2 miles for the first time<\/a> but has broken European records at 1500m, 3000m, 5000m, 10,000m and half marathon.<\/p>\n Sifan Hassan (Getty)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Dominique Scott (RSA) Debut<\/strong> \u2013 South African record-holder on the track is based in the United States.<\/p>\n Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:01:41<\/strong> \u2013 former 5000m and 10,000m world record holder, multiple world cross-country champion, three-time Olympic and five-time world track gold medallist, the Ethiopian came within a whisker of breaking the world marathon record with 2:01:41 in Berlin 2019, too. Fifth last year in London in a world M40 record of 2:05:53.<\/p>\n Kenenisa Bekele (Mark Shearman)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) 2:01:53<\/strong> \u2013 ran the fastest debut marathon in history in December when he won in Valencia in 2:01:53<\/a>. It also put him No.3 all-time behind Kipchoge and Bekele.<\/p>\n Kelvin Kiptum<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Birhanu Legese (ETH) 2:02:48<\/strong> \u2013 two-time Tokyo Marathon winner and has placed fifth and sixth in the last two London Marathons.<\/p>\n Birhanu Legese wins the 2020 Tokyo Marathon (Getty)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Amos Kipruto (KEN) 2:03:13<\/strong> \u2013 won in London in 2:04:39 in October<\/a> and his PB was set in Tokyo at the start of last year. Took bronze at the 2019 World Championships marathon and has won marathons in Rome and Seoul.<\/p>\n Amos Kipruto (Mark Shearman)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Tamirat Tola (ETH) 2:03:39<\/strong> \u2013 won the world marathon title in Eugene in 2:05:36<\/a>. This followed world marathon silver in London in 2017 and Olympic 10,000m bronze in 2016. His marathon best was set in Amsterdam in 2021.<\/p>\n Tamirat Tola (Getty)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Kinde Atanaw (ETH) 2:03:51<\/strong> \u2013 fourth on his London debut last year in 2:05:27 whereas his PB was set when winning Valencia in 2019.<\/p>\n Leul Gebresilase (ETH) 2:04:02<\/strong> \u2013 a former winner of the Valencia Marathon, he was runner-up in London last October and his best time was set in Dubai in 2018.<\/p>\n Seifu Tura (ETH) 2:04:29<\/strong> \u2013 Chicago Marathon winner in 2021 and runner-up in 2022. Has also won in Milan and Shanghai and was sixth in the World Championships last year.<\/p>\n Mo Farah (GBR) 2:05:11<\/strong> \u2013 10-time global track champion and British record-holder in the marathon, although the latter was set in Chicago in 2018<\/a> and the 40-year-old has struggled for form lately and a 30:41 for 10km in Gabon<\/a> recently doesn\u2019t breed confidence.<\/p>\n Mo Farah (Mark Shearman)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 2:05:23<\/strong> \u2013 three-time world half-marathon champion, two-time world cross-country champion and a former world half-marathon record-holder. At the marathon he won in New York in 2017 and 2019 but his best time is from Valencia in 2021.<\/p>\n Geoffrey Kamworor (NN Running)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Brett Robinson AUS 2:07:31<\/strong> \u2013 ran an Oceania record of 2:07:31 in Fukuoka in December, just nine weeks after finishing eighth in London in 2:09:52.<\/p>\n Dewi Griffiths (GBR) 2:09:49<\/strong> \u2013 PB dates back to his debut marathon in Frankfurt in 2017. Has struggled with injuries since but was 11th<\/sup> in the Commonwealth marathon last year.<\/p>\n Dewi Griffiths (Mark Shearman)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Chris Thompson (GBR) 2:10:52<\/strong> \u2013 famously won the British Olympic marathon trials<\/a> in a PB and went on to become the only British man to finish in Sapporo in 39th<\/sup>. Believes he can break 2:10 in London despite now being 42.<\/p>\n Chris Thompson (Mark Shearman)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Tom Groschel GER 2:11:03<\/strong> \u2013 part-time policeman was German champion in 2018 and 2019 but his PB was set in Valencia two years ago.<\/p>\n Ben Connor (GBR) 2:11:20<\/strong> \u2013 15th<\/sup> on his debut in London in 2020 after stepping up from a successful spell on the track and country.<\/p>\n Ben Connor (Mark Shearman)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Frank Lara (USA) 2:11:32<\/strong> \u2013 30th<\/sup> in Chicago last year but ran his best in Houston.<\/p>\n Luke Caldwell (GBR) 2:11:33<\/strong> \u2013 made his debut in Houston last year and earned selection for the European Championships but DNF\u2019d in Munich. Based in Colorado, he ran for Scotland at the 2014 Commonwealth Games on the track.<\/p>\n Weynay Ghebresilasie (GBR) 2:11:57<\/strong> \u2013 ran his PB to finish top Brit in London last October. Born in Eritrea, he ran the steeplechase for his former country at the 2012 Olympics but sought asylum in the UK and has been eligible to run for Britain since 2021.<\/a><\/p>\n Weynay Ghebrsilasie (Mark Shearman)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Phil Sesemann (GBR) 2:12:10<\/strong> \u2013 the Leeds-based junior doctor was first Brit home in London in 2020 and improved his PB again in London last October. Was also first Brit home at the European Champs last year in 17th<\/sup> overall and earlier this year out-kicked Jake Wightman over 3000m indoors in Sheffield.<\/p>\n Phil Sesemann (David Hewitson)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Charlie Hulson (GBR) 2:13:34<\/strong> \u2013 ran for Britain in all age groups at the European and world cross-country champs and won the English National title in 2015 before stepping up to run 2:13:34 on his marathon debut in London in 2020.<\/p>\n Adam Craig (GBR) 2:13:58<\/strong> \u2013 PB was set in Valencia last year but this is the Inverclyde runner\u2019s London debut.<\/p>\n Adam Craig (Paul Freary)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Ross Braden (GBR) 2:14:32<\/strong> \u2013 the Kent runner ran his PB when coming 12th<\/sup> in London last October.<\/p>\n Emile Cairess (GBR) Debut<\/strong> \u2013 helped pace the leaders at the 2022 London Marathon and has since impressed with 60:32 for half-marathon, silver at the European cross-country champs behind Jakob Ingebrigtsen<\/a> and a European 10-mile record of 45:57 in March<\/a>, all of which makes his marathon debut much anticipated.<\/p>\n Emile Cairess (Paul Freary)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Paulos Surafel (GBR) Debut<\/strong> \u2013 Thames Valley runner has a half-marathon best of 61:51 and ran 63:44 at the Prague Half this month.<\/p>\n The richest prizes in elite wheelchair racing have been made even more lucrative this weekend as course record holders and defending champions Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland try to win in London again.<\/p>\n Eight-time winner David Weir carries British hopes while another Swiss star, Manuela Sch\u00e4r, is also among those competing for a share of the prize pot of $253,500.<\/p>\n In the men\u2019s race, Hug will be looking to match Weir\u2019s record of three consecutive wins on the street of London. The Swiss athlete is the No.1 racer in the world and won every single Abbott World Marathon Major Marathon he raced last year (Tokyo, Berlin, London, Chicago and New York), which led him to win the Abbott World Marathon Series XIV title \u2013 the award for the most points won across the six major marathons.<\/p>\n Catherine Debrunner (centre) (Mark Shearman)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Look out too for Daniel Romanchuk of the United States, who finished second to Hug after a sprint finish on The Mall in 2022.<\/p>\n In the women\u2019s race, Debrunner will face competition from two women who had to withdraw from the 2022 London Marathon on the eve of the event: Sch\u00e4r and Madison de Rozario of Australia.<\/p>\n Sch\u00e4r is the world record-holder and a three-time London Marathon champion, while De Rozario is the Paralympic and Commonwealth Games champion who won the 2018 London Marathon.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Marathon special issue<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Susannah Scaroni, who won last year\u2019s Chicago Marathon and the overall Abbott World Marathon Majors Series XIV title, returns to London after second place last year, as does past London Marathon champion Tatyana McFadden of the United States and British talent Eden Rainbow-Cooper, who finished third last year in her first full London Marathon.<\/p>\n Both Hug and Scaroni were victorious at the Boston Marathon<\/a> already this week, too.<\/p>\n After successfully moving the young athletes\u2019 races forward to Saturday instead of its usual early Sunday slot, the Mini London Marathon will once again be held 24 hours before the masses tackle 26.2 miles.<\/p>\n Innes Fitzgerald and Henry Dover were among the winners last October as around 7000 youngsters charged down The Mall cheered on by friends, family and world marathon record-holder Eliud Kipchoge.<\/p>\n If past results are anything to go by then there is a strong chance that many of these athletes will go on to become Olympians and major championship medallists as seniors as the history of the Mini Marathon reads like a who\u2019s who of British distance running.<\/p>\n Former Mini Marathon winners and participants range from Mo Farah and David Weir to Jake Wightman, Laura Muir, Eilish McColgan, Hannah Cockroft and Keely Hodgkinson, to name just a few.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Mini London Marathon 2022 coverage<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n This year there is a new assembly space on Horse Guards Parade and the start line has been widened as organisers attempt to boost the numbers up to an eventual 50,000-strong line-up by 2030.<\/p>\n Mini London Marathon (Mark Shearman)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Saturday April 22 \u2013 Mini London Marathon championship races All championship races are 2.6km. This will be followed by a number of waves of non-championship races with 2.6km for Years 5 to 12 and one mile for pupils in reception to Year 7.<\/p>\n Sunday April 23 BBC1 begins its broadcast at 8am with Gabby Logan presenting and commentary by Steve Cram, Andrew Cotter, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Paula Radcliffe. This continues until 2.15pm when coverage switches to BBC2 from 2.15-3pm. There are then highlights on BBC2 from 6-7pm, plus of course coverage on the BBC website, red button and iPlayer.<\/p>\n Look out for AW\u2019s<\/em> race week coverage with social media updates and online news articles from the pre-event press conferences plus in-depth coverage from the TCS London Mini Marathon on Saturday and of course London Marathon on Sunday.<\/p>\n Check out the April issue of AW<\/em> magazine<\/a>, too, which is a marathon special this month featuring an exclusive interview with Paula Radcliffe and more.<\/p>\n \u00bb <\/b>Subscribe to AW magazine here<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nWomen\u2019s contenders with PBs<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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<\/p>\nMen\u2019s contenders with PBs<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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<\/p>\nDebrunner and Hug defend wheelchair crowns<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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TCS Mini London Marathon<\/h4>\n
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<\/strong>9.00am \u2013 U17 men and U14 boys wheelchair
9.02am \u2013 U17 women and U14 girls wheelchair
9.04am \u2013 U17 and U14 ambulant
9.10am \u2013 U17 men
9.15am \u2013 U15 boys
9.20am \u2013 U13 boys
9.25am \u2013 U17 women
9.30am \u2013 U15 girls
9.35am \u2013 U13 girls<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/athleticsweekly.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Mini-Marathon-start-750x442.jpg\")
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<\/strong>9:20am \u2013 elite wheelchair start
9:30am \u2013 elite women start
10:00am \u2013 elite men start and mass start<\/p>\nTelevision coverage<\/h4>\n