London Marathon 2025: Britain’s most successful Olympian swaps bike for running shoes

Britain’s most-decorated Olympian is ditching the bike for the road this Sunday to run the London Marathon.

There’s little Sir Jason Kenny failed to achieve during a stellar cycling career which saw him win seven Olympic gold medals.

But now the man who conquered the velodrome from 2012 onwards has his sights set on a new challenge as he joins tens of thousands of runners on the streets of the nation’s capital.

“Out of my comfort zone”

Kenny said: “I’ve never seen myself as a runner, but since retiring from competing on the bike I’ve started to run more and completely fallen in love with it.

“Taking on the TCS London Marathon for the first time is a huge challenge, but I’m excited to step out of my comfort zone. It’s a different kind of test and I’m ready to give it my all.”

Kenny married fellow cyclist Laura Trott in 2016 with the pair’s joint haul of 12 gold medals making them not only the power couple of British cycling but one of the most successful Olympic families of all time.

Since retiring, motorsport enthusiast Kenny has taken up car racing in his spare time. The 36-year-old also works as a sprint coach for Great Britain’s men’s cycling team.

Which other sports stars are running?

Kenny will be joined in London by fellow Olympic champion Chris Mears, who won the 3m synchronised springboard diving competition at Rio 2016 and will be running to support the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

Legendary England cricketers Sir Andrew Strauss and Sir Alastair Cook, who have 261 international Test appearances between them, will also be taking part to raise money for the Ruth Strauss Foundation, with Cook making his debut.

Former Chelsea and England skipper John Terry headlines a number of famous former footballers who are also taking part.