The 2025 London Marathon starts this morning with event organisers hoping to break the record for the world’s largest marathon. Over 56,000 people have signed up to tackle the 26.2-mile course ahead of the 45th annual London Marathon, with many raising funds for charities and good causes.
Organisers also assembled strong fields for the men’s and women’s elite races. Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s event for his biggest career victory after making a solo breakaway with about 10km left, and finished in 2hr 2min and 27sec. The great Eliud Kipchoge finished sixth as British triathlete Alex Yee came home in 14th place.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa shattered the women's-only world record, pulling away from Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya over the final couple of kilometres after the two had set a blistering early pace. The 28-year-old Assefa, silver medallist in the event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, crossed the finish line in 2 hr, 15 min and 50 sec, beating the previous women's-only record set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir. Britain’s Eilish McColgan finished eigthh.
Follow live updates from the 2025 London Marathon in our blog below.
London Marathon 2025: Latest updates and times
- 2025 London Marathon set to break records as over 56,000 take part
- Switzerland's Marcel Hug wins men's wheelchair race for fifth year in a row
- Tigst Assefa wins women's London Marathon; Eilish McColgan eighth
- Kenya's Sabastian Sawe wins men's race, Eliud Kipchoge sixth, Alex Yee 14th
- Mass start followed at 9:35am, with runners warned against fancy dress due to heat
- Protesters disrupt London Marathon with powder demonstration on Tower Bridge
Protesters disrupt London Marathon with powder demonstration on Tower Bridge
17:14 , Lawrence OstlereThis is the moment protesters disrupted the London Marathon by throwing red powder on Tower Bridge.
The incident happened at around 10.35am on Sunday (27 April), as the men's elite runners approached the bridge.
The demonstrators, linked to the Youth Demand group, entered the race route after jumping the barriers. They wore t-shirts bearing the slogan "Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel."
Police officers quickly intervened and arrested the two individuals.
The marathon continued without interruption, and participants ran through the area affected by the powder.
Eilish McColgan delighted with eighth on debut
15:05 , Lawrence Ostlere"I was very, very nervous. Probably the most nervous I have been. The distance was an unknown. I have never raced more than a half marathon so the thought of doing it back-to-back was scary. The crowds were insane."
Yee not taking up running just yet
14:40 , Lawrence OstlereAsked by the BBC if he would be competing in less triathlon events from now on, Yee said: “Definitely not. I am still hoping for LA Olympics. This is just an experiment really to help me improve my run. I’ve worked hard over the years to improve my bike and swim to get to that level so it’s nice to be able to work on this now."
Alex Yee: 'I am so proud'
14:22 , Lawrence Ostlere"It was probably one of the best experiences of my life if I’m being honest. I expected the crowd to be good but they were another level.
"I am so proud to have completed the marathon.
"An amazing experience but it was hard at the end. I am just proud to have done it. Emotions about time will come afterwards, but the main thing for me today was to enjoy it, do something unknown and embrace it. I did that to my best of my ability. I feel like I gave 100%
This is bigger than running. It’s an amazing day and I wanted to be a part of it. This was the perfect opportunity."
Alex Yee finishes 14th in men's race
13:58 , Lawrence OstlereA phenomenal effort from Alex Yee today, who finished 14th in the men’s elite race less than a year after winning Olympic gold in the triathlon.
Swiss double in wheelchair races
13:32 , Lawrence OstlereIt was a Swiss double in the wheelchair events, with Marcel Hug racing to his sixth London marathon title in 1:25:25 and Catherine Debrunner winning her third women's title in four years in 1:34:18, missing her own world record by two seconds.
Summary: Men's elite race
13:05 , Lawrence OstlereSabastian Sawe of Kenya won the London Marathon on Sunday for his biggest career victory after making a solo breakaway with about 10km left.
Sawe pulled away from a leading group of nine runners about 90 minutes into the race and finished in 2 hours, 2 minutes and 27 seconds.
Sawe made his move when his rivals slowed down at a drinks station — opting not to take any water despite warm temperatures.
Jacob Kiplimo, the half marathon world record holder who was making his full marathon debut, was the only runner able to give chase but could never get close to erasing the gap. The Ugandan finished about 70 seconds back in second place.
Sawe's only previous marathon win came in Valencia in 2024.
He is the fourth Kenyan runner in a row to win the men's race in London.
Summary: Women's elite race
12:47 , Lawrence OstlereEilish McColgan, the 10,000m gold medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, was eighth in her belated debut marathon in a Scottish record time of 2:24:25.
And she was not the only British woman in the top 10, which also included ninth-placed Rose Harvey in 2:25:01, but her compatriot Charlotte Purdue could not finish after pulling up with a calf issue.
Summary: Women's elite race
12:32Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa shattered the women's-only world record in winning the 45th London Marathon on Sunday, pulling away from Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya over the final couple of kilometres after the two had set a blistering early pace.
The 28-year-old Assefa, silver medallist in the event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, crossed the finish line in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds, beating the previous women's-only record of 2:16:16 set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.
Jepkosgei, 31, finished second in 2:18.44.
The sizzling early pace was too much for reigning Olympic marathon champion and 2024 London winner Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, who fell back off the leaders around the halfway mark en route to finishing third in 2:19.00.
It was a Swiss double in the wheelchair events, with Marcel Hug racing to his sixth London marathon title in 1:25:25 and Catherine Debrunner winning her third women's title in four years in 1:34:18, missing her own world record by two seconds.
Alex Yee finishes in 2hr 11min
11:48It looks like Alex Yee, Britain’s Olympic triathlon champion, has finished inside the top 15, which is an extraordinary achievement in his first marathon.
Yee collapses in a heap over the line, not unlike his reaction to winning gold in Paris last summer.
He was the second British athlete home after Mahamed Mahamed finished ninth.
Sabastian Sawe wins men's London Marathon 2025!
11:42 , Lawrence OstlereThe great Eliud Kipchoge comes through in fifth place.
Sabastian Sawe wins men's London Marathon 2025!
11:39 , Lawrence OstlereSebastian Sawe crushes the field! A field let’s not forget that includes the great Eliud Kipchoge. He raises two hands to the sky in celebration. What a performance.
The winning time was 2hr 2min 27sec.
Sabastian Sawe closing in on men's victory
11:35 , Lawrence OstlereKenya’s Sabastian Sawe is on the verge of the biggest moment of his career. The 29-year-old stormed to the Valencia Marathon last year but this will be greater still. He’s out on his own with just a couple of kilometres to go...
McColgan finishes eighth in women's race
11:31And here is Eilish McColgan approaching the line, finishing eighth and setting a Scottish marathon record in the process. A great effort.
Tigst Assefa wins women's London Marathon 2025!
11:25 , Lawrence OstlereAn utterly exhausted Joyciline Jepkosgei comes over the line in second, as Sifan Hassan finishes third.
Tigst Assefa wins women's London Marathon 2025!
11:22 , Lawrence OstlereAssefa, the Olympic silver medallist and second here in London last year, wins this time! She crosses the line, kisses the road and lifts her arms to the sky with a big smile.
She didn’t crack Radcliffe’s course record but she has set a new women-only world record – a phenomenal run.
Tigst Assefa closes in on women's victory
11:20 , Lawrence OstlereTigst Assefa, the Ethiopian former world record holder, has broken clear and is now the solo leader at the front of the women’s race as she nears the finish.
She is going to go very close to Paula Radcliffe’s course record...
Pictures from the mass participation race
11:00 , Lawrence OstlereThe masses began at 9.35am behind the men’s elite race and they are nearly and hour and a half in, with temperatures climbing through the teens to about 16C right now. You’ve got to feel for anyone dressed like Big Ben or similar.
Here are a few pictures from the opening 10k:
Leaders in men's marathon
10:54 , Lawrence OstlereKipchoge is tucked in the middle of the lead group of nine runners at the front of the men’s marathon, as they push towards 25km at a decent lick although outside world record pace. All to fight for...
Marcel Hug wins men's wheelchair race!
10:36 , Lawrence OstlereThe supreme Swiss athlete Marcel Hug has made it a remarkable five in a row at the London Marathon, and in doing so wins his seventh in total.
Japan’s Tomoki Suzuki gave chase but couldn’t keep pace and finishes second.
Sifan Hassan off the pace in women's race
10:33Sifan Hassan has slipped back from the lead group of three and it looks like it won’t be her day here. Tigst Assefa and Joyciline Jepkosgei have been absolutely relentless at the front and they are not letting up as they near the business end of this marathon.
Kipchoge pushes pace in men's marathon
10:09 , Lawrence OstlereThe men’s elite race is through 10km and 15 seconds behind the world record split. Eliud Kipchoge has been tucked behind the lead group for much of the race so far but he comes to the fore briefly as if to nudge the pace up a notch.
Alex Yee enters the unknown at London Marathon and invites you with him
10:00 , Jamie BraidwoodEven for Olympic champions, the days before running the London Marathon bring a mixture of nerves and excitement. Alex Yee is no exception. The world triathlon champion and gold medal winner in Paris last summer, his first attempt at the marathon distance will start on home turf, and he has been open and honest about the challenge he faces.
Alex Yee enters the unknown at London Marathon and invites you with him
Why Jacob Kiplimo’s London Marathon debut will have the whole world watching
09:45 , Jamie BraidwoodTo many, it was the unthinkable. To Jacob Kiplimo, it was “the perfect race”. In February, the 24-year-old Ugandan didn’t just reclaim the half-marathon world record, he obliterated it: his time of 56 minutes and 42 seconds in Barcelona was 48 seconds faster than the previous mark. World Athletics said it was the greatest single improvement on the men’s half marathon ever recorded.
And the most impressive part? Kiplimo may have been just warming up. He confirmed shortly afterwards that he would not compete again until his debut over the full distance, until the London Marathon today.
Why Jacob Kiplimo’s London Marathon debut will have the whole world watching
London Marathon 2025 under way!
09:36 , Lawrence OstlereThe mass participation race begins with a hooter sounded by Denise Lewis, and the frontrunners of the 57,000-strong field are away!
One of those is Paula Radcliffe’s daughter, who will be out on the course today raising money for Children with Cancer UK:
One to watch!
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) April 27, 2025
Paula Radcliffe's daughter, Isla, is running the London Marathon 🏃♀️ #LondonMarathon #BBCMarathon pic.twitter.com/65aADkw8be
London Marathon: Elite men's field
09:15 , Jamie BraidwoodEliud Kipchoge, widely known as the greatest marathon runner of all time, will return to London for the first time since 2020 and chase a fifth victory. Jacob Kiplimo, the world record holder in the half-marathon, will make his debut at the full distance.
Olympic champion Tamirat Tola and 2024 London champion Alexander Mutiso will compete alongside the likes of Sabastian Sawe, who ran last year’s Valencia Marathon with a fastest-ever time for a debutant in history, of 2:02:05. But Kenenisa Bekele has withdrawn due to injury, but there are still six men to have gone under the 2:04:00 mark.
The big draw for many British fans this year will be triathlete Alex Yee, who won Olympic and world gold last year, making his debut in the marathon discipline. Emile Cairess and Mark Scott have pulled out due to injury, but there are high hopes for Philip Sesemann and Mahamed Mahamed.
London Marathon: Elite women's field
09:00 , Jamie BraidwoodOlympic champion Sifan Hassan and Tigst Assefa, the second-fastest woman and previous world record holder, headline the field are a set for a thrilling battle. Hassan won the London Marathon on her debut in 2023, despite memorably stopping mid-race to stretch. Unfortunately, world record holder Ruth Chepngetich and the reigning champion Peres Jepchirchir had to withdraw two weeks before the race.
The British contingent will feature Eilish McColgan, a European medallist across 3,000m, 5,000m, and 10,000m, making her debut at the race 29 years after her mother, Liz, won it. Philly Bowden, Louise Small and Holly Archer also line up on the elite line, looking to qualify for the World Championships in Tokyo later this year.
London Marathon: Elite women's wheelchair field
08:45 , Jamie BraidwoodAnother Swiss great, Catherine Debrunner, is back to defend her London title in the women’s wheelchair race, with hopes of completing another Swiss double with Marcel Hug. Debrunner also won the Paralympics marathon last summer - one of five gold medals she won in Paris, while she holds the world record too.
The USA’s Susannah Scaroni won in Boston on Monday, while Britain’s Eden Rainbow-Cooper was a Boston champion last year. The Paralympic 100m champion and Scottish sprint queen Sammi Kinghorn will be making her London Marathon debut.
London Marathon: Elite men's wheelchair field
08:30 , Jamie BraidwoodDefending champion, Olympic champion and world record holder Marcel Hug, also known as the ‘Silver Bullet’, is back this year and is the favourite to defend his title for the fifth year in a row. The Swiss great won in Boston on Monday, where the USA’s Daniel Romanchuk was in second. Eight-time London winner David Weir is also back at 45. He retired from the Paralympics after finishing fifth in Paris last summer but is back competing in London - where he finished third last year.
London Marathon: What are the course records?
08:15 , Jamie BraidwoodLondon course records
Men: 2:01:25, Kelvin Kiptum (Ken), 2023
Women (mixed): 2:15:25, Paula Radcliffe (GB), 2003
Women only: 2:16:16, Peres Jepchirchir (Ken), 2024
Wheelchair men: 1:23:44, Marcel Hug (Swi), 2023
Wheelchair women: 1:38:24, Catherine Debrunner (Swi), 2022
Where to watch the London Marathon: Route, best viewpoints and how to get around
08:00 , Jamie BraidwoodThe 2025 London Marathon will weave through the streets of the capital from Greenwich to Westminster and thousands of spectators are going to be lining the route for a glimpse of their running friends.
Over 56,000 people are expected to take on the mammoth tour of London landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, Cutty Sark and Tower Bridge.
Here’s everything you need to know to plan the day if you’re running or supporting this year’s London Marathon.
Where to watch the London Marathon: Route, best viewpoints and how to get around
London Marathon weather: Reconsider fancy dress, runners warned
07:45 , Jamie BraidwoodRunners have been warned to rethink wearing fancy dress and run at a slower pace for the London Marathon on Sunday as temperatures are set to soar.
Warm and sunny skies are forecast and runners tackling the 26.2 mile course can expect temperatures to reach highs of 22C degrees.
Although sunshine and warm weather may sound favourable, Professor Sanjay Sharma, medical doctor of the TSC London Marathon warned runners that the heat could be a health risk.
“In the conditions forecast for Sunday, you should slow your planned pace. If you were planning to run in fancy dress, please think carefully whether that is still appropriate in the conditions,” he said.
What is the prize money on offer at the London Marathon?
07:30 , Jamie BraidwoodLast year’s race was the first to offer equal prize money to the elite wheelchair races as their able-bodied counterparts.
In 2024, the elite men’s and women’s able-bodied races and men’s and women’s wheelchair races had a total prize pot of £243,000, with the winners receiving $55,000 (£44,000) each.
The prize money on offer this year is the same, with $55,000 going to each winner, the runners-up earning $30,000 (£23,100) and third-place $22,500 (£17,400).
There are also $150,000 (£115,900) bonuses on offer for running sub-2:02 for the men and sub-2:15 for the women, $125,000 (£96,500) for setting a new world record, and $25,000 (£19,300) up for grabs in the elite men’s and women’s races for a new course record.
London Marathon: What is the route?
07:15 , Jamie BraidwoodThe London Marathon tends to follow a largely unchanged route since it was first run in 1981. Covering 26.2 miles, the course begins in Greenwich, dropping down from the high point of the race to follow a largely flat course, first heading east to Woolwich before doubling back on itself and follow the Thames to Bermondsey.
From there, the runners cut across London Bridge and turn right to take in Canary Wharf and London’s old Docklands, before a U-turn to track through central London, running along the Embankment until another right turn at Westminster Bridge towards St James’s Park.
The route takes in many famous London landmarks, from the Cutty Sark (mile six), Tower Bridge (mile 12), the Tower of London (mile 22) the London Eye and Big Ben (both mile 25) before its iconic finish line on The Mall near Buckingham Palace.
London Marathon: How can I watch it?
07:02 , Jamie BraidwoodViewers in the United Kingdom will be able to watch the London Marathon live on the BBC, with extensive television coverage and online streaming available via the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website.
London Marathon: The key start times
07:01 , Jamie Braidwood8.50am – Elite wheelchair men’s and women’s races.
9.05am – Elite women’s race.
9.35am – Elite men’s race followed by mass start.
Good morning
07:00 , Jamie BraidwoodThe London Marathon returns in 2025 with an even more star-studded field than usual for one of the biggest events of the year and a record number of runners entering the mass participation event run at the same time.
All the Olympic and Paralympic marathon champions from last year’s Paris Games will compete, along with over 56,000 total runners - smashing the record of 55,646 finishers set at the New York Marathon in November.
Last year a closely-contested women’s race was won by 2021 Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir in a world-record time for a women’s only race (as in, run without male pacemakers).
She crossed the tape in two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds, while her compatriot Alexander Mutiso Munyao won the men’s race in 2:04.01.
