London Marathon: How to watch this year’s race

CNN
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More than 50,000 people are expected to end the weekend in London MarathonThis is a record in the race’s 43-year history.

This may not be the only record set on Sunday: in particular, expectations are high for the elite women’s race with a group of runners capable of setting a record.

Ethiopia Tigist Asifawho ran a stunning world record performance of 2:11:53 at last year’s Berlin Marathon, leads the stacked field, while the Kenyans Brigid Kosgei Ruth Chepnjitich, the third and fourth fastest women’s marathon runners of all time, will provide stiff competition.

This trio had previously worked much faster than… Mary Kitani The course record is 2:17:01, which has stood since 2017, and he will also take on former winners Yalemzerf Yehualaw and Joycelyn Jepkosgei And Olympic champion Perez Gebchirchir.

“No race in the history of our sport has ever seen this (level of talent),” event director Hugh Brasher told reporters this week, according to Reuters. “I have no idea who will win but I think it will be an incredibly competitive event.

“This marathon will be harder to win than this one Olympic A marathon in Paris, I’m sure of it.”

Paula Radcliffe is the fastest woman to run the London Marathon with a time of 2:15:25 in 2003, although that was in a mixed race.

“We will see how well I perform on Sunday, but I am sure I can beat the (course) record, and I am sure many competitors can too,” Assefa told reporters on Friday.

He’ll have some way to go for the match Last year’s racing drama When Dutch star Sifan Hassan claimed victory after she stopped extending her hips and swerved unsteadily into the path of a motorbike.

The elite men’s race will begin with honors for the 2023 winner and course record holder Kelvin KiptumWho died in a traffic accident near his home in Kenya earlier this year. There will be a 30-second applause before the race, followed by a tribute to Kiptom’s career broadcast by the BBC.

New York City Marathon champion Tamirat Tula Among the favorites are Mosenet Jeremieux, who ran 2:03 in London five years ago, and Geoffrey Kamworor, last year’s runner-up.

Legendary Ethiopian distance runner Kenenisa Bekele is a prominent figure in the men’s race at the age of 41, but he will no doubt attract plenty of support from the thousands of fans lining the track.

“If there was a chance for me to win in London, that would be really great,” Bekele said He said Friday. “I’m very happy to be back here again. It’s been a long career for me. I’ve been running since 1999, almost 25 years, so it’s not a short period in any sport. But I’m happy to keep running and I enjoy it very much.

Speaking of celebrities on the course, two-time Olympic gold medalist and ultramarathon runner Kelly Holmes will be starting the elite men’s race. Jasmine Pariswho last month became the first woman ever to complete it The famous Barkley Marathon In Tennessee, the elite women will start.

“I have watched the London Marathon for many years and am inspired by the thousands of people who participate every year, each with their own stories of the victories that happen on that day,” Paris said.

“It’s been a great couple of months for me personally, and I’m looking forward to celebrating by cheering everyone on this weekend.”

The elite wheelchair race begins at 4:05 a.m. ET (9:05 a.m. GMT), followed by the elite women’s race at 4:25 a.m. ET (9:25 a.m. GMT) and the men’s elite and crowd race begins at 5 a.m. ET. (10 a.m. GMT).

Viewers in the US, Canada and Australia will find coverage on FloTrack, while the BBC provides full TV coverage in the UK.

A full list of international broadcasters is available here.

The 26.2-mile route has remained largely unchanged since 1981, starting at Greenwich Park in south-east London.

It passes through Greenwich, Bermondsey and the Canary Wharf business district before following the river towards central London and ending at the Mall in the shadow of Buckingham Palace.

The race is largely flat and known for producing fast times, and has an elevation gain of 246 feet.

Earlier this year, London announced it had become the first of the world’s six major marathons to offer equal prize money – $55,000 or £44,000 – to disabled and able-bodied winners.

Runner-up will receive $30,000 (£24,000) and third place will receive $22,500 ($18,000).