Record holder Kosgei and champion Jepkosgei set for TCS London Marathon duel

Marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei of Kenya and defending champion Joyciline Jepkosgei will be the ones to watch when a small group of elite road racer lead thousand of fun and charity runners in this year’s TCS London Marathon.

Also in the elite field is the fastest-ever female marathon debutant Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) and British number one Charlotte Purdue.

World record holder Kosgei returns to London looking to win her third TCS London Marathon crown after victories in 2019 and 2020. The Kenyan, who set the world record of 2:14:04 in Chicago in 2019, finished a surprise fourth last year but bounced back to win this year’s Tokyo Marathon in a world-leading time of 2:16:02.

“But we’ve also got a mouthwatering battle between two great champions, Brigid Kosgei and Joyciline Jepkosgei. Kosgei showed she is back to her best form with her win in Tokyo earlier this year, but Jepkosgei looked incredibly confident during her win here last year," Hugh Brasher, Event Director of the TCS London Marathon, said

The 2021 champion Jepkosgei – a former world record holder over the half marathon distance and winner of the 2019 New York City Marathon – ran a personal best of 2:17:43 to win last year’s London Marathon, the fastest time in the world in 2021, while 22-year-old Yehualaw is the current 10K world record holder (29:14) and ran 2:17:23 to win the Hamburg Marathon in April, the fastest marathon debut ever.

Ethiopian duo Degitu Azimeraw and Ashete Bekere, who finished second and third last year, also return. Bekere finished second behind Kosgei at this year’s Tokyo Marathon in a PB of 2:17:58.

In total, the field contains nine women who have run inside 2:20.

Alongside McColgan, British interest will be led by Purdue, who will run her third marathon of the year in London after a ninth-place finish at April’s Boston Marathon and her scheduled run at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon.

Purdue became the fourth-fastest British female marathon runner of all-time last year when she ran 2:23:26 at the 2021 London Marathon to finish 10th overall.

Steph Twell and Rose Harvey, the sixth and 10th-fastest Brits of all time over the marathon distance, and Samantha Harrison, are also among the leading UK talent signed up.

2022 TCS London Marathon elite women’s field

Brigid KOSGEI (KEN): Marathon Personal best - 2:14:04 (WR)

Yalemzerf YEHUALAW (ETH): 2:17:23

Joyciline JEPKOSGEI (KEN): 2:17:43

Degitu AZIMERAW (ETH): 2:17:58

Ashete BEKERE (ETH): 2:17:58

Joan Chelimo MELLY (ROU): 2:18:04

Sutume Asefa KEBEDE (ETH): 2:18:12

Alemu MEGERTU (ETH): 2:18:51

Hiwot GEBREKIDAN (ETH): 2:19:10

Ababel YESHANEH (ETH): 2:20:51

Mary NGUGI (KEN): 2:21:32

Charlotte PURDUE (GBR): 2:23:26

Reia IWADE (JPN): 2:23:52

Stephanie TWELL (GBR): 2:26:40

Rose HARVEY (GBR): 2:27:20

Marci KLIMEK (USA): 2:30:48

Samantha HARRISON (GBR): 2:32:22

Anna BRACEGIRDLE (GBR): 2:34:20

Emma STYLES (GBR): 2:37:36

Girmawit GEBRZIHAIR (ETH): Debut

Eilish McCOLGAN (GBR): Debut