Brigid Kosgei and Vincent Kipchumba withdraw from London Marathon

Two-time London marathon champion and Olympics silver medalist Brigid Kosgei who headlined the entry list in the women's elite list to this year's London marathon has withdrawn. 

Also withdrawing form the race set for Sunday 2 October is last two editions' silver medalist  Vincent Kipchumba, both citing injuries for the decision not to compete. 

Kosgei has been struggling with a minor hamstring injury that has interrupted her preparations for this year’s race. 

The decision was made after consultations with her coach and management team, to avoid making the injury worse.

“I have been struggling over the past month with an issue in the hamstring of my right leg. My training has been up and down and not the way I would like to prepare to be in top condition for the 2022 TCS London Marathon.

We have decided it is best I withdraw from this year’s race and get further treatment on my injuries in order to enter 2023 stronger than ever," Kosgei told organisers. 

Kosgei won the London Marathon in 2019 and 2020. She was fourth last year after winning a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

In 2019 she set the women’s world record of 2:14:04 at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. This year, she won the Tokyo Marathon in 2:16:02, the fourth-fastest time in history.

The 2022 TCS London Marathon elite women’s race will still feature a world-class field, headed by reigning champion Joyciline Jepkosgei and Yalemzerg Yehualaw, the fastest marathon debutant in history. 

Kipchumba has had to withdraw due to injury, while Mosinet Geremew of Ethiopia who was third last year and the silver medallist in the marathon at this summer’s World Championships, has also withdrawn.

Meanwhile, Judith Korir, the silver medallist in the women’s marathon at this year’s World Championships, is a late addition. 

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Korir won this year’s Paris Marathon in April before finishing runner-up in the World Championships in Oregon in July. She was originally scheduled to be a pacemaker in this year’s event but has now opted to race over the full distance.

The elite women’s field has also seen Great Britain’s Samantha Harrison withdrawn from the race, as have Ethiopian pair Girmawit Gebrzihair and Ababel Yeshaneh and Canada’s Lanni Marchant.