The defending champion believes a course record may be required for him to win for a second year in a row.
Sabastian Sawe headlines a star-studded TCS London Marathon elite men’s field that also includes the likes of Jacob Kiplimo, Joshua Cheptegei, Tamirat Tola and Yomif Kejelcha.
The Kenyan’s winning time of 2:02:27 last year, which included a blistering 60:57 over the second half of the course, was the second fastest mark set at the event, only behind the late Kelvin Kiptum.
Kiptum, who is still the world record-holder with 2:00:35, set the course record of 2:01:25 back in 2023, and Sawe thinks that that whoever wins might have to better that mark.
Sawe said: “The TCS London Marathon course is one of the most beautiful and fastest courses in the world. It was my first time running in London last year and it was one of the proudest moments of my life to cross the line as champion.
“I am excited to be coming back in 2026 and I know now a little bit more about what I can expect. I am sure with the quality of athletes coming to London it will take another fast time to win again, perhaps the type of effort the great Kelvin Kiptum put in when he set the course record in 2023.”
The calibre of the field has led Sawe to make that prediction.
Kiplimo, given he was last year’s runner-up, could very well be Sawe’s closest challenger. The Ugandan athlete became a triple senior individual champion at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee earlier this month and also set a world half-marathon record of 56:42 last season, as well as triumphing at the Chicago Marathon.
Cheptegei is the current Olympic 10,000m champion and holds world records in both the 5000m (12:35.36) and 10,000m (26:11.00). Tola is the reigning Olympic marathon champion and arrives in London off the back of clocking 2:05:40 to win the Doha Marathon by Ooredoo.
Kejelcha will be making his marathon debut after a sparkling track career that included a silver medal in the 10,000m at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Other athletes to watch out for are Kenya’s Amos Kipruto, the 2022 TCS London Marathon champion, and Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta, the ninth-fastest man in history over the marathon with 2:02:38.
Germany’s Amanal Petros, who secured a silver medal in the marathon at the World Athletics Championships – missing out on gold in dramatic fashion by just 0.03 seconds – will lead the European charge alongside Britain’s Emile Cairess, who was announced alongside the full domestic fields earlier this week.
Hugh Brasher, London Marathon Events CEO, said: “Sabastian Sawe showed the world at last year’s TCS London Marathon that he is a man that could re-write the marathon record books so we are delighted to welcome him back for this year’s event. To run 2:02:27 with a negative split of 60:57 for the second half of the race showed the huge potential he has and we are looking forward to supporting Sabastian run as fast as possible in London on Sunday 26 April.
“We are delighted to have such incredible storylines and depth across all our elite races in the 2026 TCS London Marathon. From a British perspective, we are all excited to see how fast Emile Cairess and Eilish McColgan can run while the reunion of Tigst Assefa, Peres Jepchirchir and Sifan Hassan in the elite women’s race is a mouthwatering prospect for athletics fans across the world.
“Finally, there is Marcel Hug’s bid to join David Weir as the most successful athlete in London Marathon history in the wheelchair races. It promises to be another incredible year at the TCS London Marathon.”
2026 TCS London Marathon elite men entry list
Sabastian Sawe (KEN, PB 2:02:05)
Jacob Kiplimo (UGA, 2:02:23)
Deresa Geleta (ETH, 2:02:38)
Amos Kipruto (KEN, 2:03:13)
Tamirat Tola (ETH, 2:03:39)
Amanal Petros (GER, 2:04:03)
Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN, 2:04:23)
Joshua Cheptegei (UGA, 2:04:52)
Shunya Kikuchi (JPN, 2:06:06)
Emile Cairess (GBR, 2:06:46)
Mahamed Mahamed (GBR, 2:07:05)
Philip Sesemann (GBR, 2:07:10)
Hassan Chahdi (FRA, 2:07:30)
Adam Lipschitz (RSA, 2:08:54)
Patrick Dever (GBR, 2:08:58)
Peter Lynch (IRL, 2:09:36)
Tim Vincent (AUS, 2:09:40)
Dewi Griffiths (GBR, 2:09:49)
Weynay Ghebresilasie (GBR, 2:09:50)
Tewelde Menges (GBR, 2:09:58)
George James (GBR, 2:10:10)
Liam Boudin (AUS, 2:10:28)
Jake Smith (GBR, 2:11:00)
Marc Scott (GBR, 2:11:19)
Jack Rowe (GBR, 2:12:31)
Andrew Fyfe (GBR, 2:13:20)
Alex Milne (GBR, 2:14:03)
Peter Le Grice (GBR, 2:14:45)
Sean Hogan (GBR, 2:14:51)
Jack Barraclough (GBR, 2:14:55)
Christopher Thomas (GBR, 2:14:55)
Chris Perry (GBR, 2:14:57)
David Bishop (GBR, 2:15:16)
Charlie Sandison (GBR, 2:15:38)
William Mycroft (GBR, 2:15:54)
Yomif Kejelcha (ETH, Debut)
Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH, Debut)
Isaia Kipkoech Lasio (KEN, Debut)
Alfie Manthorpe (GBR, Debut)
