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2016 London Marathon Preview

On this page: Overview | Men’s Race | Women’s Race | Full Starter List / Performances at London

The London Marathon has, inarguably, the largest budget in the world and the largest budget for elite athletes. The prize money for top placements amounts to just over $300,000 – but add on top of that generous time bonuses and many, many undisclosed private bonus deals and appearance money with individual athletes and the number of millions of dollars spent on athletes is staggering. In addition, the 2016 London Marathon will provide the venue for athletes from Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, London and other countries to prove to their respective Athletic Federations that they should be selected for their Olympic Marathon team.

Because of its commitment to paying athletes; because of its flat/fast course; because of its use of pacers to ensure the race starts at a fast pace; and because of its insistence and use of time bonuses for much of its prize money – the London Marathon ALWAYS has the deepest field in marathoning and provides great results and dramas for its race. And the 2016 race will be no exception – and may be best field and race ever imagined. [Editor’s note: because of the nature of the London Marathon, we’ve kept this paragraph intact since 2013!]

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The Men’s Race
The 2016 London Marathon race organizers have brought together one of the deepest and most talented fields ever asssembled. In the field will be eight men who have run sub-2:06, all of the top 5 from the 2015 London Marathon and the reigning World Champion. The field is as strong or stronger than ever.

Defending London Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge returns. Kipchoge was also the winner of the 2015 Berlin Marathon in 2:04 flat and was champion of the Series IX Abbott World Marathon Majors series. Former world record holder, Wilson Kipsang and the current world record holder, Dennis Kimetto, will be aiming for victory. Another who has beaten the best in the world and the youngest in the elite field, reigning World Champion Ghirmay Ghebreslassie, looks to prove that his victory at the hot and humid World Championships in Beijing in August was not a fluke and that he and Eritrea are ready to stand at the top of the World stage. Stanley Biwott had an incredible final 10K to win the 2015 New York City Marathon. Track superstar and holder of 3 Olmpic Gold Medals and 6 World Championships Titles, Kenenisa Bekele, has the speed to beat any in the field. Bekele’s two marathons: his win at the Paris Marathon in 2:05:04 in his debut marathon and his 4th place finish at the 2015 Chicago Marathon in 2:05:51 show that he is still earning his legs at the marathon distance but has the potential to excel at the distance.

The Women’s Race
Five women entered in the 2016 London Marathon have run a marathon in faster than 2:20. In all of history, twenty women have ever run sub-2:20; eleven of those twenty are currently running; and five of those eleven will be at London – that is unprecedented. In addition, three others have run sub-2:22, including the defending champion and any of these could be in contention for a win. From the prior year’s field, seven of the top ten from 2015 are returning. The top three finishers from the 2015 New York City Marathon will be competing. The list of credentials for the athletes can go on and on.

With many of these women hoping to qualify to represent their respective country at the Olympic Games, a fast past is likely at this year’s race. Keitany, who was awarded the Series IX Abbott World Marathon Majors women’s title after winning the NYC Marathon this fall, has also won the London Marathon twice before and is likely the woman to beat on Sunday. But in the 2015 London Marathon, Tufa had a strong finish to pull away from Mary Keitany and earn the victory – she will hope for a repeat victory. As in the Men’s race, the Women’s race features the winner of the 2015 IAAF World Championships is entered. Mare Dibaba has not only won the 2015 IAAF World Championships marathon, but has shown great speed in running 2:19:52 on two separate occasions. Florence Kiplagat holds the world record for the half marathon and has competed at the London Marathon four separate times, so she will certainly try to use her knowledge of the course to her advantage.

As we’ve written elsewhere, we’ll expect the pacers to take this group of women out at better than 2:20 marathon pace – and unlike in some other years, one or more of these women should be able to survive that starting pace and we will expect something exciting.

Elite Lineup:

Men’s Field

Name	Country	Bib	Personal Best	London History
Eliud Kipchoge (31)	KEN	1	2:04:00, Berlin, 2015	History
Dennis Kimetto (32)	KEN	2	2:02:57, Berlin, 2014	History
Wilson Kipsang (34)	KEN	3	2:03:23, Berlin, 2013	History
Stanley Biwott (30)	KEN	4	2:04:55, London, 2014	History
Kenenisa Bekele (34)	ETH	5	2:05:04, Paris, 2014	History
Sisay Lemma (26)	ETH	6	2:05:16, Dubai, 2016	History
Tilahun Regassa (26)	ETH	7	2:05:27, Chicago, 2012	History
Abera Kuma (26)	ETH	8	2:05:56, Berlin, 2014	History
Samuel Tsegay (28)	ERI	9	2:07:28, Amsterdam, 2011	History
Ghirmay Ghebreslassie (21)	ERI	10	2:07:47, Hamburg, 2015	History
Amanuel Mesel (26)	ERI	11	2:08:17, Valencia, 2013	History
Serhiy Lebid (41)	UKR	12	2:10:21, London, 2015	History
Arne Gabius (35)	GER	13	2:08:33, Frankfurt, 2015	History
Antonio Uribe (30)	MEX	14	2:08:55, Houston, 2014	History
Tewelde Estifanos (29)	ERI	15	2:09:16, Frankfurt, 2015	History
Ghebre Kibrom (29)	ERI	16	2:09:36, London, 2015	History
Vitaliy Shafar (34)	UKR	17	2:09:37, Boston, 2014	History
Marcin Chabowski (30)	POL	18	2:10:07, Dusseldorf, 2012	History
Scott Overall (33)	GBR	19	2:13:13, London, 2015	History
Chris Thompson (35)	GBR	20	2:11:19, London, 2014	History
Callum Hawkins (24)	GBR	21	2:12:17	History
Yuki Sato (30)	JPN	22	2:12:32	History
Rob Watson (33)	CAN	23	2:13:29	History
Lee Merrien (37)	GBR	24	2:13:41, London, 2012	History
Anuradha Cooray (38)	SRI	25	2:13:47, London, 2015	History
Derek Hawkins (27)	GBR	26	2:14:08, Frankfurt, 2012	History
Shawn Forrest (33)	AUS	27	2:14:37, Houston, 2012	History
Phil Wicks (32)	GBR	28	2:15:38, Amsterdam, 2011	History
Paul Pollock (30)	IRE	29	2:15:38	History
Ben Moreau (35)	GBR	30	2:15:52	History
John Beattie (30)	GBR	31	2:16:38, London, 2012	History
Andrew Davies (37)	GBR	32	2:16:55	History
Stephen Scullion (28)	IRE	33	2:34:33	History
Gervais Hakizimana (29)	RWA	34	debut	History
Tsegai Tewelde (27)	GBR	35	debut	History
Jonathan Hay (24)	GBR	36	debut	History
Ryan Mcleod (31)	GBR	37	debut	History
Mathew Bond (34)	GBR	38	debut	History
Craig Mottram (36)	AUS	39	debut	History

Women’s Field

Name	Country	Bib	Personal Best	London History
Tigist Tufa (29)	ETH	101	2:21:52, Shanghai, 2014	History
Mary Keitany (34)	KEN	102	2:18:37, London, 2012	History
Aselefech Mergia (31)	ETH	103	2:19:31, Dubai, 2012	History
Florence Kiplagat (29)	KEN	104	2:19:44, Berlin, 2011	History
Mare Dibaba (27)	ETH	105	2:19:52, Xiamen, 2015	History
Mare Dibaba (27)	ETH	105	2:19:52, Dubai, 2012	History
Priscah Jeptoo (22)	KEN	106	2:20:14, London, 2012	History
Feyse Tadese (28)	ETH	107	2:21:06, Paris, 2011	History
Jemima Sumgong (32)	KEN	108	2:20:41, Boston, 2014	History
Jessica Augusto (35)	POR	109	2:24:25, London, 2014	History
Volha Mazuronak (27)	BLR	110	2:25:36, London, 2015	History
Sonia Samuels (37)	GBR	111	2:28:04, Berlin, 2015	History
Freya Ross (33)	GBR	112	2:28:10, London, 2012	History
René Kalmer (36)	RSA	113	2:29:27, Berlin, 2014	History
Alyson Dixon (38)	GBR	114	2:29:30, Berlin, 2015	History
Katarzyna Kowalska (31)	POL	115	2:29:41, Berlin, 2015	History
Louise Damen (34)	GBR	116	2:30:00	History
Susan Partridge (36)	GBR	117	2:30:46, London, 2013	History
Sara Hall (33)	USA	118	2:31:14, Chicago, 2015	History
Irvette Van Zyl (29)	RSA	119	2:31:26	History
Natalia Romero (36)	CHI	120	2:37:47, London Olympics, 2012	History
Cassie Fien (31)	AUS	121	2:38:53, New York City, 2015	History
Charlotte Purdue (25)	GBR	122	debut	History