London has launched plenty of marathon stars down the years.
The red-topped home straight that flows from the front steps of Buckingham Palace to the towering Admiralty Arch has provided the launchpad for the marathon careers of Paula Radcliffe, Martin Lel, Sifan Hassan and Eliud Kipchoge to name a few.
It proved the same happy hunting ground for Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe last year as he romped to victory to announce himself on the Majors scene.
Sawe followed his emphatic London triumph with an equally impressive victory in Berlin to seal the AbbottWMM series. To many well-informed observers, had it not been such a blisteringly hot day in the German capital, the world record would have been on shaky ground last September.
It’s possible that the record will be on his mind in what promises to be far cooler temperatures on Sunday.
But, as is always the case in London, Sawe will face one of the strongest set of opponents any Major can assemble.
Among them, Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, fresh from a 2:02:23 win in Chicago where - for long periods – he also threatened to down Kelvin Kiptum’s astonishing 2:00:35 set there in 2023. A Sawe/Kiplimo showdown would certainly have the keyboards clacking in the press room just yards away from The Mall.
Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta is the third man with a PB under 2:03 in the field, while the seasoned campaigners Geoffrey Kamworor, Amos Kipruto and reigning Olympic champion Tamirat Tola will all have plenty to say about the destination of this year’s crown.
In the women’s field, Hassan’s withdrawal has deprived us of a repeat of her Olympic, elbow-bruising, battle with 2025 champion Tigst Assefa.
The Ethiopian returns after setting a new women-only world record in 2025, and faces the grit and guile of Kenya’s Hellen Obiri.
Well-schooled in the punishing environs of Boston and New York City, where she has racked up four wins and two second places in a staggering career, Obiri will harbor no fears of the London course. Her biggest test will be whether she can adjust to a paced race against this caliber of opponent.
Obiri thrives when she can grind her rivals down in the late miles, but she will need to have the legs to do so here after a quick first 30km.
Joyciline Jepkosgei won here in 2021 and has stood on every step of the London podium, including second last year.
Degitu Azimeraw carries Ethiopia’s hopes alongside Assefa. She was sixth in Chicago last year after winning in Barcelona last March.
In the wheelchair races, it’s a case of recover and go again for the stars of the field following Boston’s bracing test on Monday in Massachusetts.
Marcel Hug was masterful in the New England sunshine to extend his record to 44 wins in an unmatched career. He will begin as hot favorite again here, but London is a different beast to Boston’s point to point course.
David Weir will seek to summon every ounce of his experience to stick with the Silver Bullet on the more technical route from Blackheath to Westminster, as will regular podium placer, the Netherlands’ Jetze Plat.
A clutch of Japanese racers including Sho Watanabe, Tomoki Suzuki are also capable of hanging with the lead pack.
The women’s race also reads like a Who’s Who of the stars of the sport, save for the expectant mum Susannah Scaroni.
Home favourite Eden Rainbow-Cooper stormed to a second win in Boston on Monday and would dearly love to add a London win to her flourishing reputation.
To do so, she will need to stop Catherine Debrunner repeating last year’s impressive victory.
Manuela Schär, Madison de Rozario and Tatyana McFadden have all taken the tape here too.
Behind this glittering lineup, more than 700 runners will take aim at their sixth AbbottWMM star to earn the Six Star medal.
From first to last, London is ready to lay down another glorious chapter in this event’s wonderful story.
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