| FOUR OF THE TOP FIVE FASTEST MEN IN HISTORY GO HEAD-TO-HEAD IN HISTORIC ELITE MEN’S RACE AT 2023 TCS LONDON MARATHON First marathon ever to include two men with PBs of under 2:02 and four athletes who have run inside 2:03Defending champion Kipruto and world champion Tola also included in star-studded fieldThe 2023 TCS London Marathon elite men’s field will be a landmark occasion when, for the first time in history, two men who have run inside two hours and two minutes will be together on the same Start Line.Kenenisa Bekele (ETH), the second fastest man ever with a PB of 2:01:41, and Kelvin Kiptum (KEN), the winner of the 2022 Valencia Marathon and the fastest marathon debutant in history (2:01:53) have both been confirmed to race in London on Sunday 23 April.With Birhanu Legese (ETH, PB 2:02:48) and Mosinet Geremew (ETH, PB 2:02:55) also in the field, it means the 2023 TCS London Marathon will also have four of the five fastest men in marathon history on the Start Line.In addition, the defending champion Amos Kipruto (KEN) and world champion Tamirat Tola (ETH) will also return to London.Kipruto’s win at last year’s TCS London Marathon was the biggest victory of his career and his first Abbott World Marathon Major triumph. The 30-year-old, who was second at last year’s Tokyo Marathon behind world record holder Eliud Kipchoge and third in the 2019 World Championships, said: “Winning last year’s TCS London Marathon was an incredible experience for me. I am now preparing hard for this year’s race and I can’t wait to return to London as the champion.“London always has a really strong field and this year is the same so I know I will face a battle to defend my title, but I’m confident and looking forward to it.”Tola, who won the 2022 World Championships marathon in Oregon, will be one of several men aiming to prevent Kipruto from winning back-to-back titles. Tola, 31, is in a fine run of form over the 26.2-mile distance, winning the 2021 Amsterdam Marathon and finishing third at the 2022 Tokyo Marathon (behind Kipchoge and Kipruto) before winning his world title last summer.Also in the field is last year’s runner-up Leul Gebresilase (ETH, PB 2:04:02), the second-placed finisher in both 2020 and 2021 Vincent Kipchumba (KEN, PB 2:04:28) and two-time New York City Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN).The new holder of the Oceanian marathon record Brett Robinson (AUS), who ran 2:07:31 in Fukuoka, Japan, last year, returns to London after finishing eighth last year, while Sean Tobin (IRL) – who mastered snow and temperatures of minus 15C to run the fastest Antarctic marathon in history last December (2:53:33) – makes his traditional road marathon debut in London.Another man who thrives in the toughest of conditions is 2018 Boston Marathon champion Yuki Kawauchi (JPN) who is also making his TCS London Marathon debut in what will be his 114th marathon. Incredibly, Kawauchi has won 41 of those marathons – with his biggest and most notable by far coming in Boston in 2018, when he proved the strongest in heavy rain and battering winds to cross the line first. By finishing in London, Kawauchi will be eligible for his Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Medal for finishing all six major marathons: London, Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York.The names of the British men competing in the 2023 TCS London Marathon elite race were announced yesterday and include Sir Mo Farah and debutant Emile Cairess.See below for the full entry list for the 2023 TCS London Marathon elite men’s race. The men’s and women’s elite wheelchair fields for the 2023 TCS London Marathon will be announced this afternoon (Wednesday 1 February). The elite women’s field will be announced tomorrow (Thursday 2 February). 2023 TCS London Marathon elite men’s field Amos Kipruto (KEN, personal best 2:03:13)Kenenisa Bekele (ETH, 2:01:41)Kelvin Kiptum (KEN, 2:01:53)Birhanu Legese (ETH, 2:02:48)Mosinet Geremew (ETH, 2:02:55)Tamirat Tola (ETH, 2:03:39)Kinde Atanaw (ETH, 2:03:51)Leul Gebresilase (ETH, 2:04:02)Vincent Kipchumba (KEN, 2:04:28)Seifu Tura (ETH, 2:04:29)Sir Mo Farah (GBR, 2:05:11)Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN, 2:05:23)Yuki Kawauchi (JPN, 2:07:27)Brett Robinson (AUS, 2:07:31)Dewi Griffiths (GBR, 2:09:49)Rory Linkletter (CAN, 2:10:24)Chris Thompson (GBR, 2:10:52)Tom Gröschel (GER, 2:11:03)Ben Connor (GBR, 2:11:20)Joshua Griffiths (GBR, 2:11:28)Frank Lara (USA, 2:11:32)Luke Caldwell (GBR, 2:11:33)Weynay Ghebresilasie (GBR, 2:11:57)Phil Sesemann (GBR, 2:12:10)Charlie Hulson (GBR, 2:13:34)Andrew Heyes (GBR, 2:13:52Adam Craig (GBR, 2:13:58)Alex Monroe (USA, 2:14:15)Ross Braden (GBR, 2:14:32)Nick Earl (GBR, 2:14:38)Nigel Martin (GBR, 2:15:19)Ronnie Richmond (GBR, 2:16:59)Nicholas Bowker (GBR, 2:17:35)Alex Milne (GBR, 2:17:40)Josh Lunn (GBR, 2:17:59)Fraser Stewart (GBR, 2:18:40)Matthew Dickinson (GBR, 2:19:23)Emile Cairess (GBR, Debut)Sean Tobin (IRL, Debut)Ryan Forsyth (IRL, Debut) ENDS |
| GREATEST EVER FIELD ASSEMBLED FOR ELITE WOMEN’S RACE AT 2023 TCS LONDON MARATHON |
| Three current world record holders, two reigning Olympic champions and four national record holders included in fieldDefending champion Yehualaw, world record holder Kosgei and Olympic champion Jepchirchir all signed upDouble Olympic champion Sifan Hassan to make marathon debutThe world’s greatest line-up of female distance runners will take on the elite women’s race at the 2023 TCS London Marathon on Sunday 23 April.Among those taking part in the most star-studded race in the history of marathon running are the defending champion and world 10K record holder Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH), the marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei (KEN) and the Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir (KEN).In addition to that stellar trio, the reigning Olympic 10000m and 5000m champion Sifan Hassan (NED) will be making her marathon debut.Also on the Start Line will be the 1500m world record holder Genzebe Dibaba (ETH), the 2016 Olympic 10000m champion Almaz Ayana (ETH) and the reigning Berlin Marathon champion Tigist Assefa (ETH), the fifth-fastest women’s marathoner in history.The field will also include Britain’s Eilish McColgan, the reigning Commonwealth Games 10000m champion making her marathon debut (as announced on Tuesday 31 Jan), as well as three national record holders: Emily Sisson (USA), Sinead Diver (AUS) and Natasha Wodak (CAN).American record holder Sisson will have a fascinating duel with compatriot Keira D’Amato who held the US record for 10 months, from January to October last year, with a time of 2:19:12 set at the 2022 Houston Marathon. Sisson reduced the US record even further at last October’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon when she ran 2:18:29 to finish second overall*. She has since gone on to become the USA’s half marathon record holder as well, running 66:52 in Houston on 15 January.Hugh Brasher, Event Director of the TCS London Marathon, said: “This is quite simply the greatest women’s field ever assembled for a marathon – arguably the greatest field ever assembled for a women’s distance race. We have two reigning Olympic champions, three world record holders and multiple national record holders, in addition to an incredibly strong British contingent led by Eilish McColgan.“It’s going to be a race the whole world will be anticipating and I can’t wait to see what happens on Sunday 23 April. We’ve had such a rich pedigree of incredible women’s results here in London. We have had world records and unforgettable performances from the likes of Grete Waitz, Ingrid Kristiansen, Paula Radcliffe and Mary Keitany. I am sure this amazing 2023 women’s field will provide another extraordinary chapter in the London Marathon’s rich and proud history of stunning races.”Reigning champion Yehualaw said: “My victory at last year’s TCS London Marathon was a day I will never forget. I am very much looking forward to returning to London and being part of this amazing field.”Hassan, the double Olympic champion, said: “I am considering my plans for next year’s Paris Olympic Games with both the track and marathon options for me. However, before I can make a final decision on which direction to go, I need to test myself over the marathon distance and I believe the best place for me to do that is in London with the best female marathon athletes around me.“Stepping up to the marathon distance has always been in my plans and it doesn’t mean that I will be retiring from the track. I am planning a track season this summer but before that I’m really excited to be making my marathon debut at the TCS London Marathon. It will be a step into the unknown in many ways for me but I’m looking forward to it.”In total, the 2023 TCS London Marathon elite women’s field will feature 10 women who have run inside 2:19 and five who have gone under 2:18.The elite women’s field is the final announcement of the 2023 TCS London Marathon Elite Week. To find out more about the elite men’s field which was announced yesterday (Wednesday 1 February), click here. For more information on the elite wheelchair athlete races, click here and to read about Sir Mo Farah’s return to London, click here. 2023 TCS London Marathon elite women’s field Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH, personal best 2:17:23)Brigid Kosgei (KEN, 2:14:04 WR/NR)Tigist Assefa (ETH, 2:15:37)Peres Jepchirchir (KEN, 2:17:16)Almaz Ayana (ETH, 2:17:20)Genzebe Dibaba (ETH, 2:18:05)Sutume Asefa Kebede (2:18:12)Judith Jeptum Korir (KEN, 2:18:20)Emily Sisson (USA, 2:18:29 NR)Alemu Megertu (ETH, 2:18:32)Keira D’Amato (USA, 2:19:12)Sinead Diver (AUS, 2:21:34 NR)Jess Piasecki (GBR, 2:22:27)Natasha Wodak (CAN, 2:23:12 NR)Charlotte Purdue (GBR, 2:23:26)Susanna Sullivan (USA, 2:25:14)Ellie Pashley (AUS, 2:26:21)Stephanie Davis (GBR, 2:27:16)Maor Tiyouri (ISR, 2:29:04)Rosie Edwards (GBR, 2:31:56)Samantha Harrison (GBR, 2:32:22)Eilish McColgan (GBR, debut)Sifan Hassan (NED, debut)Girmawit Gebrzihair (ETH, debut)Dominique Scott (RSA, debut) |
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