London Marathon 2025: World record holder and defending champ BOTH ruled out

The TCS London Marathon on April 27th has been hit by two huge withdrawals in the women’s elite race.

For both world record holder Ruth Chepngetich and reigning London champion Peres Jepchirchir are out of what had looked one of the greatest fields ever assembled.

The three fastest women in history – Chepngetich, Paris silver medallist Tigst Assefa and Olympic champion and 2023 London winner Sifan Hassan – topped the line up.

But now Chepngetich, who obliterated the world record last October with that astonishing time of 2:09:56 at the Chicago Marathon, is out.

‘Sad to miss the race’

Quoted on the TCS London Marathon website, she explained: “I’m not in the right place mentally or physically to race my best in London and I am therefore withdrawing. I am very sad to miss the race and I hope to be back next year.”

And joining her on the sidelines is last year’s winner and fellow Kenyan Jepchirchir whose time of 2:16:16 in 2024 was a world record for a women’s only field.

The 2020 Olympic Games marathon champion has sustained an ankle injury.

She told the official London Marathon media channels: “Winning last year’s TCS London Marathon was one of the highlights of my career and I was very much looking forward to returning this year to defend my title.

“Unfortunately, my injury has made this impossible but I am focused on getting healthy again and hope to return to London again in the future when I’m fully fit.” 

Peres Jepchirchir TCS London Marathon — Peres Jepchirchir winning the London Marathon in 2024 [Photo: TCS London Marathon]

2018 winner added to field

While those withdrawals are clearly huge blows for the race, a stellar field remains, headed by Assefa and Hassan.

And now Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN), champion in 2018 and former Olympic track gold medallist, has become a late addition to it.

Cheruiyot, the 2016 Olympic Games 5,000m champion, has run the London Marathon three times, winning in 2018 and finishing runner-up in 2019. She last competed in October 2020 when she did not finish the elite-only race in very wet and cold conditions around St James’s Park during the Covid-19 pandemic. She was also third at last year’s TCS New York City Marathon.

Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events, said: “It is a great shame that Ruth and Peres, two of the greatest women marathon runners in history, will not be at this year’s TCS London Marathon. We wish them both well and hope to welcome them back to London next year.

“Meantime, we’re delighted that our 2018 champion Vivian Cheruiyot will be coming to London as a late addition to the elite field.”