Press Release - London Marathon - 3/8/23

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

             Former London Marathon champions return to start 
                        elite women's race in 2023

- Four­time winner Ingrid Kristiansen returns to London as official starter 
  of the 2023 TCS London Marathon women's race  

- She is joined by 1998 London Marathon winner Catherina McKiernan  

- Elite field for 2023 includes Britain's Eilish McColgan, double Olympic 
  champion Sifan Hassan and world record holder Brigid Kosgei  

Two former London Marathon champions, Ingrid Kristiansen and Catherina 
McKiernan, will be the official starters of the 2023 TCS London Marathon 
women's elite race on Sunday 23 April.  

Kristiansen won the London Marathon four times, the most victories by any 
female runner in the event's history. She won four out of five London 
Marathons between 1984 and 1988 and set a world record time of 2:21:06 at 
the 1985 London Marathon, which stood for 13 years. This year will be 35 
years since her final London Marathon win in 1988, a landmark she will 
celebrate by being named as an official starter for an incredible elite 
women's race in London next month.  

Kristiansen will be joined as official starter by McKiernan, another London 
Marathon champion, who won the 1998 race on her debut in London. McKiernan, 
who also won the Berlin Marathon in 1997 and remains the Irish marathon 
record holder (2:22:23), will be celebrating 25 years since her win in 
London.  

Norwegian Kristiansen said: "I'm honoured to have been asked to start the 
elite women's race at this year's TCS London Marathon. It will be only my 
second time back in London since I won in 1988. Winning the London Marathon 
on four occasions was a huge personal achievement and I have very fond 
memories of each race. London will always hold a special place in my heart.

"This year's elite women's field is impressive. I hope the new generation 
of elite female marathon runners continue to inspire young girls and women 
to be active and believe in themselves."  

McKiernan said: "I'm incredibly excited to be returning to London with 
Ingrid to officially start a fantastic women's elite race at the 2023 TCS 
London Marathon. I have lots of wonderful memories of my win in London 
nearly 25 years ago and I'm delighted to have been invited back. 

"This year's women's race is going to be a memorable one - there are some 
incredible names set to run in April. I think I'm most excited to see how 
Eilish McColgan gets on. I raced many times alongside her mum Liz so it'll 
be great to see Eilish make her debut.  

"I'll be joined on Marathon Day by my children, and I can't wait for them 
to see what a wonderful occasion the London Marathon is. I hope everyone 
taking part has an amazing day." 

Today's announcement comes on International Women's Day (Wednesday 8 March) 
as the TCS London Marathon celebrates the achievements of two of its 
legendary female winners by honouring them with the role of official 
starters for what is arguably the greatest women's elite field ever 
assembled.  

Among those on the Start Line in April will be defending champion Yelemzerf 
Yehualaw (ETH), marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei (KEN) and 
Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir (KEN). Joining them, and making their 
TCS London Marathon debuts, are two current stars of athletics - Britain's 
Eilish McColgan, the reigning Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion, and 
Dutch middle­distance Olympic champion Sifan Hassan.  

Kristiansen and McKiernan will be the official starters of the elite 
women's race at the 2023 TCS London Marathon on Sunday 23 April. Starters 
of the elite wheelchair races and the elite men and masses will be 
announced in the coming weeks.  

Previous starters include Queen Elizabeth II, the Prince and Princess of 
Wales with the Duke of Sussex, Sir Andy Murray, Lionesses Leah Williamson 
OBE, Jill Scott MBE and Ellen White MBE, and Sir Steve Redgrave.  

About the London Marathon  

- The 2023 TCS London Marathon will take place on Sunday 23 April. 

- The London Marathon was first held on 29 March 1981 and the millionth 
  finisher in the history of the event crossed the line in 2016. 

- The 2023 TCS London Marathon Official Charity of the Year is Great Ormond 
  Street Hospital Children's Charity. 

- Since the first London Marathon in 1981, the event has raised more than 
  £1 billion for charity. 

- London Marathon Events gifts its surplus each year to The London Marathon 
  Foundation. Since 1981, The London Marathon Foundation has awarded grants 
  totalling in excess of £98.3 million to more than 1,500 projects in 
  London and across the UK. 

- London Marathon Foundation is the operating name of The London Marathon 
  Charitable Trust, the parent charity of London Marathon Events. 

For more information, visit tcslondonmarathon.com 

About TCS 

Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business 
solutions organisation that has been partnering with many of the world's 
largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over 50 years. TCS 
is one of the biggest software and services companies in the UK, and is at 
the heart of technological innovation within some of the UK's best­known 
brands. TCS has operated in the UK for more than 45 years and has over 200 
customers in the UK today. TCS currently employs over 20,000 in the UK and 
Ireland. 

TCS engages in a number of sports sponsorships in the UK, including being 
title partner of the TCS London Marathon and the official technology 
partner of the Jaguar TCS Formula E Racing Team. TCS is also the official 
title partner of distance running events including the TCS New York City 
Marathon, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, the TCS Amsterdam Marathon 
and the TCS Lidingöloppet. 

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