The defending champion believes it may take a course record to win for the second year in a row.
Sabastian Sawe heads a star-studded TCS London Marathon men’s elite 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 an impressive 60:57 in the second half of the course, was the second-fastest mark set in the event, behind only the late Kelvin Kiptum.
Kiptum, who still holds the world record at 2:00:35, set the course record of 2:01:25 in 2023, and Sawe believes whoever wins will 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 the first time I ran in London last year and it was one of the proudest moments of my life to cross the finish line as champion.
“I’m excited to return in 2026 and now know a little more about what to expect. I’m sure that with the quality of athletes coming to London, it will take another fast time to win again, perhaps the kind of effort the great Kelvin Kiptum made when he set the course record in 2023.”
The caliber of the field has led Sawe to make that prediction.
Kiplimo, given that he was runner-up last year, could well be Sawe’s closest rival. The Ugandan athlete became a triple senior individual champion at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee earlier this month and also set a half marathon world 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 5,000m (12:35.36) and 10,000m (26:11.00). Tola is the reigning Olympic marathon champion and arrives in London with a time of 2:05:40 to win the Ooredoo Doha Marathon.
Kejelcha will make his marathon debut after a brilliant track career that included a silver medal in the 10,000 meters at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Other athletes to watch out for are Kenyan Amos Kipruto, TCS 2022 London Marathon champion, and Ethiopian Deresa Geleta, the ninth fastest man in marathon history with 2:02:38.
Germany’s Amanal Petros, who claimed a silver medal in the marathon at the World Athletics Championships (spectacularly missing out on gold by just 0.03 seconds), will lead the European charge alongside Britain’s Emile Cairess, who was announced along with all the national entrants earlier this week.
Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events, said: “Sabastian Sawe showed the world at last year’s TCS London Marathon that he is a man who can rewrite the marathon record books, so we are delighted to welcome him back to this year’s event. Running 2:02:27 with a negative split of 60:57 during the second half of the race demonstrated the huge potential he has and we are looking forward to supporting Sabastian to run as fast as possible. in London on Sunday April 26.
“We are delighted to have such incredible stories and depth in all of our elite races at the TCS London Marathon 2026. From a British perspective, we are all excited to see how fast Emile Cairess and Eilish McColgan can run during the meeting of Tigst Assefa, Peres Jepchirchir and Sifan Hassan in the women’s elite race is a delightful prospect for athletics fans around the world.
“Finally, there is Marcel Hug’s bid to join David Weir as the most successful athlete in the history of the London Marathon in wheelchair racing. It promises to be another incredible year at the TCS London Marathon.”
TCS 2026 London Marathon Elite Men’s 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 (UK, 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 (UK, 2:10:10)
Liam Boudin (AUS, 2:10:28)
Jake Smith (UK, 2:11:00)
Marc Scott (UK, 2:11:19)
Jack Rowe (UK, 2:12:31)
Andrew Fyfe (UK, 2:13:20)
Alex Milne (UK, 2:14:03)
Peter Le Grice (UK, 2:14:45)
Sean Hogan (UK, 2:14:51)
Jack Barraclough (GBR, 2:14:55)
Christopher Thomas (UK, 2:14:55)
Chris Perry (UK, 2:14:57)
David Bishop (GBR, 2:15:16)
Charlie Sandison (UK, 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)
