MADRID 16 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The 45th edition of the London Marathon, which will be held on Sunday, April 27, will have the “strongest” participation in its history, especially in the women’s event where the three fastest women of the distance and the only ones to go down will run. of two hours and 14 minutes.
The organizers of the prestigious marathon confirmed this Thursday that the Ethiopian Tigst Assefa, current Olympic runner-up and the second fastest to cover the 42.195 kilometers with 2:11:53, will also be on the starting line.
The double winner of the Berlin Marathon joins two other illustrious, previously announced, such as the Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich, current world record holder with 2:09:56, and the Dutch Sifan Hassan, gold last summer in Paris 2024 and who is the third fastest of all time with 2:13:44.
Along with this trio, and “in what promises to be a duel for history” for the organizers, in the English capital there will also be the Kenyans Peres Jepchirchir and Joyciline Jepkosgei, winners in 2024 and 2021 respectively, and the Ethiopian Alemu Megertu, winner from the last Valencia Marathon.
As for the men’s race, the current Olympic champion, the Ethiopian Tamirat Tol will start as one of the favorites against last year’s winner, the Kenyan Alex Mutiso, the Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo, current world cross country champion and Olympic medalist, or the locals David Weir and Emile Cairess.
“This is, quite simply, the largest elite field in the history of the London Marathon. We have all four Paralympic and Olympic marathon champions, not to mention an Olympic triathlon champion in Alex Yee. We welcome back all of our defending champions and, most excitingly, Ruth Chepngetich, who turned in one of the greatest athletic performances of all time when she became the first woman to run under 2:10 in Chicago last year. past,” said Hugh Brasher, executive director of the test.
The manager stressed that with Chepngetich, Sifan Hassan and Tigst Assefa they will have on the starting line “the three fastest women of all time in an exciting competition.” “All three have run in less than 2:14 and no marathon in history has had a faster split,” he said.
“We always feel proud when we hear athletes say that the London Marathon is harder to win than the Olympic or Paralympic. The reason they say that is because of the quality of participants we gathered here in London and this year, our historic 45th edition is stronger than ever,” said Brasher.