Alexander Mutiso to face off with Bekele, Tola in London Marathon

Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola, the reigning 2022 world marathon champion, and his compatriot Kenenisa Bekele, a multiple world and Olympic gold medalist on the track, will spearhead the competition.

Both Tola and Bekele have their sights set on capturing the elusive London Marathon title. Tola secured a third-place finish in the British capital last year, while Bekele's best performance in his five attempts was a second-place finish in 2017.

Bekele's reflections

Reflecting on his extensive career spanning over two decades, Bekele expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to compete once again.

With a decorated history including two Berlin Marathon titles and the third fastest marathon time of all time (2:01:41 set in 2019), Bekele is among the elite in the sport, trailing only world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum and Eliud Kipchoge in terms of fastest marathon performances.

The passing of Kelvin Kiptum, the reigning London Marathon champion, and his coach in a tragic road traffic accident earlier this year weighs heavily on the minds of the athletes. A tribute to Kiptum will be observed before the elite men’s race on Sunday, honoring his remarkable achievements and the legacy he leaves behind.

Tola and Bekele

Joining Tola and Bekele in the quest for victory are other formidable contenders, including New York Marathon winner Alexander Mutiso Munyao of Kenya, as well as Ethiopian athletes Dawit Wolde and Kinde Atanaw, all boasting impressive personal bests under 2:04.

Munyao's stellar performance in the Valencia Marathon, where he finished second in a personal best time of 2:03:11, underscores his potential to make a significant impact. Wolde and Atanaw also bring strong credentials to the competition, having recorded impressive times of 2:03:48 and 2:03:51 respectively in previous races.

The field further includes world bronze medalist Leul Gebresilase, 2021 Chicago Marathon winner Seifu Tura, and Daniel Mateiko, the victor of the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in February with a remarkable time of 58:45.

British runners Emile Cairess and Callum Hawkins lead the contingent of homegrown talent, with Marc Scott, the 2022 world indoor 3000m bronze medalist, making his highly anticipated marathon debut.

Men
Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:01:41
Alexander Mutiso Munyao (KEN) 2:03:11
Tamirat Tola (ETH) 2:03:39
Dawit Wolde (ETH) 2:03:48
Kinde Atanaw (ETH) 2:03:51
Leul Gebresilase (ETH) 2:04:02
Seifu Tura (ETH) 2:04:29
Daniel Do Nascimento (BRA) 2:04:51
Addisu Gobena (ETH) 2:05:01
Milkesa Mengesha (ETH) 2:05:29
Henok Tesfay (ERI) 2:07:12
Hendrick Pfeiffer (GER) 2:07:14
Emile Cairess (GBR) 2:08:07
Callum Hawkins (GBR) 2:08:14
Hassan Chahdi (FRA) 2:08:19
Mahamed Mahamed (GBR) 2:08:40
Brian Shrader (USA) 2:09:46
Stephen Scullion  (IRL) 2:09:49
Weynay Ghebresilasie (GBR) 2:09:50
Daniel Mateiko (KEN) no time
Marc Scott (GBR) debut