Is Sir Mo Farah’s British marathon record under threat in London?

Emile Cairess will lead British hopes at the TCS London Marathon with a potential national record firmly in his sights – and with a familiar ally alongside him.

The 27-year-old, already the third-fastest British man in history over 26.2 miles, will have Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee on pacing duties in the early stages of the race.

It marks a full-circle moment after Cairess played a key role in Yee’s stunning breakthrough at the Valencia Marathon last December, pacing him through 21 miles as he clocked 2:06:38 – the second-fastest time ever by a British athlete.

Now the roles are reversed, with Yee set to help guide Cairess through the opening phases of what could be a defining race.

Record territory in reach

“Emile is a great runner, and he was a massive help to me at last year’s Valencia Marathon, both during my training block beforehand and pacing on the day,” Yee said via a London Marathon Events media release.

“My hope is that I can repay him for that help by supporting him as much as I can at this year’s TCS London Marathon and play some part in helping him achieve his ambitions.”

Cairess’ personal best of 2:06:46 already places him firmly among Britain’s all-time greats, with only Sir Mo Farah (2:05:11) and Yee having run faster.

Yee’s 2:06:38 in Valencia moved him to second on the UK all-time list, just eight seconds ahead of Cairess, underlining just how fine the margins are at the very top of British marathon running.

Phil Sessemann, who also trained a lot with Yee last year and will race London, is another right in the mix on the back of a recent 61:21 in the Berlin Half Marathon while his marathon PB is also within two minutes of Farah’s record.

With the depth of the elite field in London and the potential for fast, even pacing in the early miles, Cairess will believe the national record is within reach if conditions and execution align.

His fourth-place finish at the Olympic marathon in Paris only reinforced his credentials and at 28 he appears to be entering the prime years for marathon performance.

Strong pacing team assembled

Yee is part of a wider group of pacemakers assembled to support the elite races in London this year.

They include Oscar Kiplimo – the older brother of Jacob Kiplimo – and Andrea Kiptoo, a training partner of defending champion Sabastian Sawe, which will help ensure a fast and consistent tempo at the front of the race.

And while the spotlight will firmly be on Cairess’ ambitions, Yee’s presence adds an intriguing subplot.

The Londoner made his marathon debut on these streets in 2025, finishing 14th overall and second Brit in 2:11:08, before his rapid progression in Valencia later in the year.

“It was an incredible experience to race the TCS London Marathon last year,” Yee said.

“As a Londoner, I thought I knew what to expect, but the crowds, the support and the atmosphere was more impressive than I ever imagined.”

This time, however, his focus will be on supporting rather than competing – a role that could prove crucial if Cairess is to push into British record territory.