Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Tigist Assefa headlines a formidable lineup of elite female athletes, including Brigid Kosgei, Ruth Chepngetich, Peres Jepchirchir, Joyciline Jepkosgei, and Yalemzerf Yehualaw, all set to compete in the TCS London Marathon, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, on Sunday.

Assefa made waves in the running world by shattering the world record with a stunning time of 2:11:53 in Berlin last year, surpassing Kosgei’s previous record set in Chicago in 2019.

Brigid Kosgei, Assefa meeting

The clash between Assefa and Kosgei marks their first meeting on the roads of London, adding excitement to an already star-studded event aiming to improve upon Mary Keitany’s women-only world record of 2:17:01 set in 2017.

In addition to her world record-breaking performance, Ethiopia’s Assefa claimed victory in Berlin in 2022 with a time of 2:15:37. Kosgei, the Olympic silver medalist with five major marathon victories to her name, boasts a personal best of 2:14:04 achieved in Chicago, ranking third in the all-time fastest women’s performances.

The field also includes Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich, the 2019 world champion, who sits fourth on the world all-time list with a time of 2:14:18 from Chicago in 2022.

Assefa expressed confidence in her preparation for the race, stating, “I’ve trained very well, just as I did for Berlin. We’ll see how well on Sunday but I’m sure I can beat the record, as I’m sure many of my competitors can too.”

Brigid Kosgei counterparts

Among those contenders is Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir, 2022 London Marathon champion Yalemzerf Yehualaw, and 2021 London Marathon winner Joyciline Jepkosgei, all with personal bests faster than 2:17:30.

With a lineup of female pacemakers tasked with guiding the leading women towards the women-only world record, anticipation is high for an extraordinary display of athleticism in London, where the elite women will compete separately from the elite men and masses.

Women
Tigist Assefa (ETH) 2:11:53
Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:14:04
Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 2:14:18
Tigist Ketema (ETH) 2:16:07
Megertu Alemu (ETH) 2:17:09
Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) 2:17:16
Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 2:17:23
Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) 2:17:23
Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:17:29
Tsige Haileslase (ETH) 2:22:10
Susanna Sullivan (USA) 2:24:27
Manon Trapp (FRA) 2:25:48
Becky Briggs (GBR) 2:29:04
Alice Wright (GBR) 2:29:08