Tigst Assefa screams with joy at the Finish Line.
Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa clocked a new women-only world record of 2:15:41 at the 2026 TCS London Marathon, successfully defending her title and surpassing her previous record set here last year.
Kenya’s Hellen Obiri followed closely, finishing just 12 seconds behind with a huge personal best of 2:15:53 in her London Marathon debut, while compatriot Joyciline Jepkosgei secured third in 2:15:55—marking the first time in history that three women have all run under 2:16 in a marathon.
The race began at a blistering pace, with Assefa, Obiri, and Jepkosgei forming a leading pack alongside Kenya’s Catherine Amanang’ole. By the 10K checkpoint, reached in 31:03, one of the three pacemakers had already dropped off, signaling to the crowds lining the course in the warm April sunshine that a fast race was unfolding.
After Amanang’ole fell back at 15K, the trio of Assefa, Obiri, and Jepkosgei stayed locked together until just under 7K remained. Assefa controlled the pace through much of the race, leading the field past the 35K drinks station in 1:51:38. After collecting their bottles cleanly, Obiri briefly moved to the front as the runners approached Big Ben.
On Birdcage Walk, all three athletes came shoulder-to-shoulder for the first time, though the moment was brief as Assefa surged decisively, breaking away from the Kenyan pair. By the time she passed Buckingham Palace and entered The Mall, the defending champion had opened a gap of over 30 meters on Obiri.
With victory secured, Assefa turned her focus to the clock, powering down The Mall to finish in 2:15:41 and secure the world record. Speaking after the race, she said: “Thank you to God. I screamed when I finished because I knew I was breaking the world record.
“I’m so happy, because I’ve been more focused on my speed work. I knew [if] I could find the energy I could win on my speed.”
She also praised her rivals, adding: “They are tough competitors. I respect them and I think, between us, we’ve made a great competition today.”
Runner-up Obiri expressed her excitement after her debut performance: “I’m super happy to get 2:15; it was a fantastic experience running with pacemakers.
“The first half was so great and so fast; I kept pushing throughout. This was my best run; I’ll be out celebrating with my family tonight.”
Third-place finisher Jepkosgei also reflected positively, highlighting the crowd support: “To finish with my personal best here in London, it’s amazing for me.
“They cheer so loud all the way and I'm so happy when I'm running. They give us more motivation and give us strength to arrive at the Finish Line strong.”
Africa Team