Elite women
The 2023 TCS London Marathon elite women's race
2023 elite women's field
- Born: 21 November 1991
Marathon best: 2:17:20, Amsterdam (2022)
London Marathon record: N/A
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: N/A
Other major city marathons: Amsterdam: 2022 – 1st (2:17:20)
Marathons in major championships: N/A
Notes: Ayana ran the then-fastest debut marathon by a women at last October’s TCS Amsterdam Marathon, which she won in 2:17:20. The performance should have come as no surprise, as Ayana's step up to the marathon distance followed a glittering career on the track. This included a famous gold medal in the 10,000m at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she put on an imperious display of front running that saw her break the world record in the process of becoming Olympic champion. She has also won world titles on the track in the 5000m (2015) and 10,000m (2017). Ayana had a break of three years between her last track race in 2019 and her win at the 2022 TCS Amsterdam Marathon, first due to injury and then due to giving birth to her first child. Ayana was born in Wenbera, Benishangul-Gumuz Region, Ethiopia, as the seventh youngest of nine siblings. She started running at her local school at the age of 13-14 and is now married to her childhood friend and long term partner, Soressa Fida. - Born: 27 December 1990
Marathon best: 2:17:29, Valencia (2022)
London Marathon record: N/A
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: N/A
Other major city marathons: Valencia: 2022 – 3rd (2:17:29)
Marathons in major championships: N/A
Notes: Chepkirui was an extremely talented middle distance athlete as a youngster, winning a gold medal in the 1500m at the 2005 World Youth Championships and a bronze medal in the same championships two years later. After a disappointment at the World Junior Championships in 2009 when she didn’t get out of the heats in the 1500m, Chepkirui walked away from the sport, only to return in 2012 and return to the world stage in 2015. In 2016, she became the African 5000m champion. In 2022, she made big improvements, winning a bronze medal in the 10,000m at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham (31:09) and then finishing third in her marathon debut at the Valencia Marathon in a time of 2:17:29. - Born: 8 February 1991
Marathon best: 2:18:05, Amsterdam (2022)
London Marathon record: N/A
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: N/A
Other major city marathons: Amsterdam: 2022 – 2nd (2:18:05)
Notes: Part of the Dibaba running dynasty, Genzebe Dibaba stepped up to the marathon at last year’s TCS Amsterdam Marathon where she finished second behind compatriot Almaz Ayana. Known as a middle-distance specialist on the track, Dibaba is the reigning world record holder for 1500m (3:50:07), as well as the world champion over 1500m in 2015 and bronze medallist in the 5000m that same year. She also won a silver medal in the 1500m at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She is a five-time world champion indoors and, in addition to the 1500m world record, holds three indoor world records mile, 3000m and 5000m. Her older sisters Ejegayehu and Tirunesh both have Olympic medals to their names, while her aunt is the 2000 London Marathon champion Derartu Tulu. - Born: 1 February 1995
Marathon best: 2:32:22, London (2021)
London Marathon record: 2021 – 16th (2:32:22)
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: N/A
Other major city marathons: Manchester: 2019 – 10th (2:51:45)
Marathons in major championships: N/A
Notes: The Charnwood AC athlete incredibly only took up running in September 2018 when she entered a half marathon and found she had a talent. Since then, Harrison has had a meteoric rise through the British women’s endurance running ranks. She made her major championships debut in 2022 when she was sixth in the 10,000m at both the Commonwealth Games and European Championships. She has powered up the British all-time rankings on the roads, too. Her half-marathon PB of 68:12, set in Berlin last year, is the seventh-fastest time recorded by a British female and her 10K time of 30:51, set in Valencia this January, is the fourth-fastest ever. - Born: 1 January 1993
Marathon best: N/A
London Marathon record: N/A
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: N/A
Other major city marathons: N/A
Marathons in major championships: N/A
Notes: The reigning Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion, Hassan will make her eagerly anticipated London Marathon debut in 2023. Hassan also won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in the 1500m, making her the only woman in history to win medals at a middle distance event and both long distance races in a single Games. She did the 1500m and 10,000m double at the 2019 World Championships, too, and is the owner of five European records in the 1500m, 3000m, 5000m, 10000m and half marathon. She was born in Adama, Oromia, Ethiopia, and raised in the countryside of Kersa in the Munesa district of the Arsi Zone of Oromia, where she was a recreational runner. She left Ethiopia as a refugee and arrived in the Netherlands in 2008 at the age of 15. She began running while undertaking studies to become a nurse. - Born: 27 September 1993
Marathon best: 2:17:16, Valencia (2020)
London Marathon record: N/A
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: New York: 2021 – 1st (2:22:39); Boston: 2022 – 2:21:01
Other major city marathons: Saitama: 2019 – 1st (2:23:50); Valencia: 2020 – 1st (2:17:16)
Marathons in major championships: Olympics: 2020 (2021) – 1st (2:27:20)
Notes: The reigning Olympic champion, Jepchirchir is unbeaten over the marathon distance, winning all five of her marathons to date in Saitama, Valencia, New York, Boston and the Olympic marathon in Sapporo. She is also the world record holder for the half marathon distance and a two-time world half marathon champion. - Born: 11 December 1994
Marathon best: 2:18:12, Seoul (2022)
London Marathon record: 2022 – 8th (2:20:44)
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: Tokyo: 2020 – 3rd (2:20:30); Boston: 2021 – 24th (2:37:45)
Other major city marathons: Dubai: 2016 – 4th (2:24:00); Rotterdam: 2016 – 2nd (2:28:04); Frankfurt: 2016 – DNF; Toronto: 2017 – 2nd (2:29:26); Ljubljana: 2018 – 7th (2:29:45); Osaka: 2019 – DNF; Beijing: 2019 – 1st (2:23:31); Seoul: 2022 – 2nd (2:18:12)
Marathons in major championships: N/A
Notes: Kebede is an experienced marathon runner who finished runner-up at the 2022 Seoul Marathon in a personal best of 2:18:12. She was third at the 2020 Tokyo Marathon and won the 2019 Beijing Marathon. She made her London Marathon debut in 2022, finishing in eighth in 2:20:44. - Born: 12 December 1995
Marathon best: 2:18:20, Oregon (2022 World Championships)
London Marathon record: 2022 – 4th (2:18:43)
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: N/A
Other major city marathons: Belgrade: 2019 – 1st (2:45:04); Venice: 2019 – 1st (2:29:21); Izmir: 2020 – 1st (2:33:59), 2021 – 3rd (2:26:52); Eldoret: 2021 – 2nd (2:28:31); Abu Dhabi: 2021 – 1st (2:22:30); Paris: 2022 – 1st (2:19:48)
Marathons in major championships: Worlds: 2022 – 2nd (2:18:20)
Notes: Korir burst onto the international marathon running scene in 2022 when she won the Paris Marathon, was the silver medallist at the 2022 World Championships in Oregon and the fourth-placed finisher at the TCS London Marathon. She has not come through the traditional track background and has competed solely on roads internationally. She also has marathon victories in Venice, Izmir and Abu Dhabi to her name. - Born: 20 February 1994
Marathon best: 2:14:04, Chicago (2018)
London Marathon record: 2018 – 2nd (2:20:13), 2019 – 1st (2:18:20), 2020 – 1st (2:18:58), 2021 – 4th (2:18:40)
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: Boston: 2017 – 8th (2:31:48); Chicago: 2017 – 2nd (2:20:22), 2018 – 1st (2:18:35), 2019 – 1st (2:14:04); Tokyo: 2022 – 1st (2:16:02)
Other major city marathons: Honolulu: 2016 – 1st (2:31:11); 2017 – 1st (2:22:15); Lisbon: 2016 – 2nd (2:24:45); Milan: 2016 – 1st (2:27:45); Porto: 2015 – 1st (2:47:59)
Marathons in major championships: Olympics: 2020 (2021) – 2nd (2:27:36)
Notes: Kosgei, the world record holder and two-time London Marathon champion, suffered disappointment in 2021 when she finished second in the Olympic Games marathon, despite entering the race as favourite. She then raced the 2021 London Marathon just eight weeks later, looking to win her third London title in a row, but finished in fourth place. However, she has bounced back in 2022, winning the Tokyo Marathon in 2:16:02 in the third-fastest time in history behind only Paula Radcliffe’s famous time of 2:15:25 and her own world record of 2:14:04, which she set in Chicago in 2019. Kosgei grew up in Elgeyo-Marakwet county, a region in Kenya’s Rift Valley, and is the mother of twins – Faith and Brian. - Born: 12 October 1997
Marathon best: 2:18:32, London (2022)
London Marathon record: 2020 – 5th (2:24:23), 2022 – 3rd (2:18:32)
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: N/A
Other major city marathons: Casablanca: 2017 – 4th (2:34:11); Frankfurt: 2019 – 2nd (2:21:10); Mumbai: 2019 – 4th (2:31:00); Rabat: 2018 – 2nd (2:31:33); Rome: 2019 – 1st (2:22:52); Shangai: 2018 – 6th (2:28:08); Zhengzhou: 2017 – 2nd (2:29:10); Seville: 2022 – 1st (2:18:51); Abu Dhabi: 2021 – DNF
Marathons in major championships: N/A
Notes: 2022 was the finest year of Alemu Megertu’s career to date. She won the Seville Marathon at the start of the year in 2:18:51 before backing that up with a third-placed finish at the 2022 TCS London Marathon. She was also the winner of the 2019 Rome Marathon. - Born: 10 December 1988
Marathon best: 2:26:21, Nagoya (2019)
London Marathon record: 2020 – 12th (2:31:31)
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: New York: 2019 – 8th (2:27:07)
Other major city marathons: Melbourne: 2014 – 2nd (2:34:15), 2016 – 2nd (2:41:15), 2018 – 1st (2:25:19); Nagoya: 2017 – 10th (2:31:37); Saitama: 2017 – 7th (2:33:01); Valencia: 2022 – 12th (2:21:34)
Marathons in major championships: Worlds: 2015 – 21st (2:36:38), 2017 – 20th (2:33:26); Olympics: 2020 (2021) – 10th (2:31:14); Commonwealths: 2022 – 5th (2:31:06)
Notes: Pashley was 23rd in the Tokyo Olympics marathon in 2021 and eighth in the TCS New York City Marathon in 2019, where she took over a minute from her PB in Nagoya in March of the same year. - Born: 24 June 1992
Marathon best: N/A
London Marathon record: N/A
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: N/A
Marathons in major championships: N/A
Notes: Scott is the South African record holder for the 1500m (4:07:25) and 3000m (8:41:18) indoors. She placed seventh in the 10,000m at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and is based in the USA. - Born: 13 May 1990
Marathon best: 2:25:14, Chicago (2022)
London Marathon record: N/A
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: Boston: 2022 – 16th (2:33:22); Chicago: 2022 – 6th (2:25:14)
Notes: Sullivan had the best result of her career last October when she finished sixth in the Chicago Marathon. - Born: 9 June 2001
Marathon best: 2:17:36, Valencia (2022)
London Marathon record: N/A
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: N/A
Other major city marathons: Barcelona: 2021 – 1st (2:23:53); Riyadh: 2022 – 1st (2:26:38); Valencia: 2022 – 4th (2:17:36)
Marathons in major championships: N/A
Notes: One of the rising stars of Ethiopian marathon running, Teshome won the first two marathons of her career in 2021 (in Barcelona and Riyadh) before running the 12th-fastest time in history when she finished fourth at last year’s Valencia Marathon (2:17:36). The 21-year-old's running career is particularly incredible given that doctors advised she should have her leg amputated when she was just seven, when a violent storm destroyed her family home in the Sidama region of central Ethiopia. - Born: 13 August 1990
Marathon best: 2:29:04, Cheshire (2021)
London Marathon record: N/A
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: N/A
Notes: Tiyouri raced over the marathon distance for Israel at the 2016 and 2020 (2021) Olympic Games. - Born: 3 November 1994
Marathon best: 2:29:08, Houston 2022
London Marathon record: N/A
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: N/A
Other major city marathons: Osaka: 2023 – 11th (2:29:50)
Marathons in major championships: Europeans: 2022 – 22nd (2:35:33)
Notes: Based in the USA, Wright broke 2:30 on her marathon debut in Houston in 2022 which earned her selection for the Great Britain marathon team for the European Championships in Munich, where she was the first Briton home in 22nd place. She has already run a marathon this year, running 2:29:50 to finish 11th in Osaka. She has represented Great Britain on the road, on the track and in cross country. - Born: 3 June 1994
Marathon best: 2:25:36, Frankfurt (2022)
London Marathon record: N/A
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: N/A
Notes: Yaremchuk made her marathon debut at the 2021 Venice Marathon, which she won in a time of 2:29:12. She then ran a PB of 2:25:36 to finish fourth at the Frankfurt Marathon last year. Born in Ukraine, Yaremchuk has been an Italian citizen since 2021. - Born: 3 August 1999
Marathon best: 2:17:23, Hamburg (2022)
London Marathon record: 2022 – 1st (2:17:26)
Other Abbott World Marathon Majors: N/A
Other major city marathons: Hamburg: 2022 – 1st (2:17:23)
Notes: Yehualaw is the reigning London Marathon champion after winning on her debut last year, despite falling at about 20 miles. London was only her second ever marathon, as she made her debut at the 2022 Hamburg Marathon where she finished in 2:17:23 – the fastest marathon debut in history at the time. Yehualaw is also the world record holder for 10K with a time of 29:14, which she set in Valencia in February 2022, and the second fastest women of all time for the half marathon (63:51). She set what she thought was a world half marathon record (63:43) at the 2021 Antrim Coast Half Marathon, before it transpired the course was 54 metres short. She was born in a small town called Finote Selam, in the Gojjam area of the Amhara region of Ethiopia, just north of the capital Addis Ababa. She now lives in Addis with husband Genetu Molalign.