
Xavi: "Lamine es un elegido y ahora depende de él"
Xavi: 'Lamine es un elegido y ahora depende de él'

Mo Farah returns to the London Marathon as an official starter for the first time since his retirement in 2024. The event will feature over 59,000 participants and has seen a significant increase in entries, particularly among young women.
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Official starters: Great Britainâs four-time Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah returns to the London Marathon for the first time since retiring from athletics in 2024. Seen as the greatest British endurance athlete in history, Farah is also the British record holder for the marathon. He will be joined on the starterâs podium by Red Roses Rugby World Cup-winning star Ellie Kildunne, fresh off the back of Englandâs Six Nations game against Wales taking place the day before.
The pair will be the official starters for the elite wheelchair, elite womenâs and elite menâs races, as well as the mass start, sending more than 59,000 participants on their way from Blackheath to the Mall.
The prodigious growth of running clubs, fuelled by young women, has seen the popularity of the London Marathon sky-rocket.
double quotation markMore than 1.1 million people entered the ballot for this yearâs race â 750,000 more than four years ago. Notably, a third of those were in the 18-29 category, with female entrants making up the biggest percentage of those under 30.
The explosion in this new breed of running clubs or âcrewsâ has been key to the boom. Unlike a traditional club, their emphasis isnât usually on super-fast times but on being inclusive, enjoying a run and a chat, and a coffee afterwards.
And it is gen Z women who are embracing them most of all. According to Jenny Mannion, who founded the female-running group Runners and Stunners in 2023, it is because they are searching for different real-life experiences after the pandemic than millennials like her.
Read more from Sean Ingle below.
After some incredible weather for the past seven days, the week in the capital is ending on a high note with the 2026 London Marathon.
The elite field is stacked, as always. On the menâs side, Kenyaâs Sabastian Sawe is hoping to defend his title after a victory in 2025 with a time of 2:02:27. He faces tough competition against Ugandaâs Jacob Kiplimo, the half marathon world record-holder and Ethiopiaâs Deresa Geleta, who became the 20th fastest marathoner in history with a time of 2:03:27 at the 2024 Seville Marathon.
Ethiopiaâs Tigst Assefa won the womenâs title last year after a women-only world record time 2:15:50. Her consistency in major races across the year makes her a heavy favourite, but last years runner-up, Kenyaâs Joyciline Jepkosgei, is aiming to do one better.
Mo Farah and Ellie Kildunne will be the official starters for the London Marathon 2026.
Over 59,000 participants are expected to take part in the London Marathon 2026.
The growth of inclusive running clubs, particularly among young women, has significantly contributed to the increase in entries for the London Marathon.
Young women, especially those aged 18-29, are driving the popularity of the London Marathon, with a notable increase in female entrants.

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Switzerlandâs Marcel Hug is the greatest marathon wheelchair racer in history. The three-time Paralympic marathon champion has won more Abbott World Marathon Majors than anyone else in history with 42 and a win today would pull him level with David Weir as the most successful athlete in London Marathon history.
The womenâs wheelchair record holder, Switzerlandâs Catherine Debrunner, is not just aiming for the title, which she won last year, but the world record, which she missed by just two seconds in 2025. At the 2024 Paris Paralympics she won a five gold medals in the 400m, 800m, 1,500m, 5,000m and marathon distances.
After the start of the elite races, nearly 60,000 will then head off and have at the 26.2 miles (42.195 km) across the capital.
As always, send me your thoughts, predictions, questions and comments. Do you know anyone racing today? Are you gearing up to take the London streets? I want to know so send me an email!
Elite menâs and womenâs wheelchair race â 8.50am (all times BST)
Elite womenâs race â 9.05am
Elite menâs race and mass start â 9.35am
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