Mary Keitany’s record under threat as London release loaded field

Three of the top four fastest women in history will spearhead a charge to set a new women’s-only world record at the 2024 TCS London Marathon on 21 April. 

The challenge will be led by Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa, who became the new world record holder when she ran an incredible 2:11:53 at last September’s BMW Berlin Marathon, obliterating the previous best mark of 2:14:04 set by Brigid Kosgei in 2019. 

Assefa and Kosgei are among a star-studded list of runners confirmed for the 2024 TCS London Marathon who are targeting to smash the women’-only world record for the marathon distance which has stood for seven years since Mary Keitany ran 2:17:01 at the 2017 London Marathon. 

Others with eyes on the record include Ruth Chepngetich, the fourth-fastest woman of all time (2:14:18), Peres Jepchirchir, the reigning Olympic champion, and Yalemzerf Yehualaw, the 2022 TCS London Marathon champion. 

Pacemakers will be tasked with keeping the leading women on track for the women’s-only world record, which is possible at the TCS London Marathon as the elite women run a separate race from the elite men and masses. 

“We are in a golden age of women’s marathon running. When Paula Radcliffe ran her incredible world record of 2:15:25 at the 2003 London Marathon, we had to wait 16 years for Brigid Kosgei to beat it. But since then, a further four women have run faster than Paula’s time including Assefa, who lowered the world record even further with her stunning run in Berlin last year.

Despite this, the women’s-only world record of 2:17:01, set by the great Mary Keitany here at the London Marathon in 2017, has amazingly stayed intact.  

However, I suspect that with Assefa, Kosgei, and the likes of Chepngetich, Peres and Yalemzerf on the field and where a total of ten women have run under 2 hours 17 minutes and 30 seconds, Keitany’s world record is going to be under serious threat at the 2024 TCS London Marathon,” Hugh Brasher, Event Director of the TCS London Marathon, said.

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Elite women 

• Tigst ASSEFA (ETH, 2:11:53 WR) 
• Brigid KOSGEI (KEN, 2:14:04) 
• Ruth CHEPNGETICH (KEN, 2:14:18) 
• Tigist KETEMA (ETH, 2:16:07) 
• Almaz AYANA (ETH, 2:16:22) 
• 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) 
• Anya CULLING (GBR, 2:34:45) 
• Rachel HODGKINSON (GBR, 2:34:46) 
• Helen GAUNT (GBR, 2:35:38) 
• Mhairi MACLENNAN (GBR, Debut) 
• Lucy REID (GBR, Debut)