It's well-known that the 26.2-mile course is often kind to those who take on one of the six world marathon majors, and legendary performances from the likes of Eliud Kipchoge, Peres Jepchirchir, and the late Kelvin Kiptum.  

Here are six of the top marathoners to keep an eye on at the 2025 TCS London Marathon on April 27. 

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1. Sifan Hassan (Netherlands)

The three-time Olympic champion is making her 2025 debut on the same course that kickstarted her marathon career. In 2023, Hassan toed the line at the 2023 TCS Marathon, her debut at the distance. 

Despite falling off of the front pack by 45 seconds, a break or two to stretch her hip, and even having to dodge a motorbike, she powered her way back to the front, pulling ahead just before the final stretch of the race. As she broke the tape, the clock read 2:28:33, a new course record and an incredible starting point in what has been a great stretch of racing since. 

The last time that Hassan stepped up to the line was in Paris 2024, where she claimed bronze in the 5000m and 10,00m, and of course, her electrifying win in the marathon to complete the triple. In two weeks, Hassan will be one of the women hoping to break 2:10.

2. Alexander Mutiso (Kenya)

As the defending champ, leaving him off of this list would be asinine, especially considering his resume. A year ago, the Paris 2024 Olympian emerged victorious over a loaded field in 2:04:01, holding off the legendary Kenenisa Bekele by 14 seconds. 

A few months later, Mutiso navigated the streets of Paris en route to a 21st-place finish and his first taste of the Olympics. This month, Mutiso hasn't stepped back up the marathon distance since August, but in his defense, he's only toed the line once in the time since, winning the 77th Kagaway Marugame International Half Marathon in a time of 59:16.

It's unsure just how great of shape the Kenyan is in heading into London, but the defending champ will certainly be ready to contend for the two-peat.

3. Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya)

Late last fall in the 'Windy City', the 30-year-old ran away from the talented field on her way to become the first-ever woman to rub sub-2:10 and took the world record along the way. Chepngetich didn't just break the world record, she smashed it out of the park, lowering Tigst Assefa's 2023 performance of 2:09:56 by nearly a full two minutes.

Not only did Chepngetich pick up her third win in Chicago, but she did it in a dominating fashion, coming through half in 1:04:16, which was enough for a 14-second gap over the. chase pack. However, by the time she broke the tape, Chepngetich had to wait over seven-and-a-half minutes to congratulate the runner-up, flexing her ability to separate from a pack while maintaining the pace. 

That was the last time that Chepngetich stepped up the line until her runner-up finish at the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon last month. She ran 1:06:20 and could be due for another record-setting finish, especially considering those she'll be contending with.

4. Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda)

After a few years of track domination with his compatriot and fellow Olympian, Joshua Cheptegei, Kiplimo is making his marathon debut in just two weeks, marking the beginning of the 24-year-old's road racing career. 

At the end of February 2025, Kiplimo took to the roads of Barcelona, Spain, where he promptly set a new half marathon world record of 56:42, a blazing performance that pushed him to the very top of the all-time lists, just under 50 seconds faster than anyone else in world history. 

In his first attempt at moving up to the marathon, Kiplimo will most definitely be in the front pack, and despite his lack of experience, anyone who counts out the Olympic and World Championship medalist is in for an awakening later this month.

5. Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia) 

The second-fastest marathoner of all time is heading into a head-to-head battle with the woman who took her world record from her. Assefa's last marathon outing resulted in a dramatic silver-medal finish for the 28-year-old, one that saw her come up just short of Olympic gold. 

This year, with vengeance on the brain, Assefa is looking to re-claim her status as the best in the world with a big-time win against quite possibly the best field in marathon history. Her personal best was set less than two years ago in Berlin and is the closest woman to Chepngetich, sporting a PB of 2:11:53. 

The Olympian has not raced in the eight months since Paris, but someone of her caliber is a threat no matter the scenario, and she should be one of the top true contenders to break the tape.

6. Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) & Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia)

I mean come on. Based on their accolades and the all-time lists, there's no possible way to count out two of the greatest ever to do it.

Just last year, Bekele, the 42-year-old clocked 2:04:15 in a runner-up finish at the TCS London Marathon, a mere 14 seconds back of Alexander Mutiso.

The five-time world champion and three-time Olympic gold medalist last ran a marathon in August 2024, finishing 39th at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

Since 2022, Bekele has run sub-2:06 on a handful of occasions and is easily a threat to take the win in London.

As far as Kipchoge goes, he's not only an Olympic and world champion, but the G.O.A.T. is the only man to ever run sub-2:00 and is also the second-fastest man in history.

Kipchoge last ran 26.2 miles in Tokyo over a year ago, running 2:06:50 to finish 10th. He started the race in Paris last August, it just wasn't his day and he had to step off of the course.

Regardless, both marathoning greats are capable of anything and everything.

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