Preview, schedule, how to watch top runners compete in elite races and mass participation run
The defending champion will return at the 2022 London Marathon: the Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei in the women and the men’s winner 2021 Ethiopian Sisay Lemma.
But not only the winners of 2021 are the focus of the event, but also the second fastest marathon runner of all time, Kenenisa Bekele. British track and field great Mo Farah is also among the stars to watch in the men’s elite race, while a host of Olympians will join thousands just aiming to complete the 42.2 km (26.2 mi ) to complete a long distance.
We’ll also see three players from the England women’s soccer team that won the UEFA European Women’s Championship to be the official starters and get the elite and mass participation races going.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2022 London Marathon, the top runners to watch, the fastest athletes on the start lists, the race schedule and how to watch the races live on the Olympic Channel and other broadcasters be able.
Kosgei and Jepkosgei lead a talented women’s field at the 2022 London Marathon
2021 was a big year for Jepkosgei as she stormed to victory in her first ever London Marathon.
Her winning time of 2:17:43 made her the seventh fastest woman in history over the distance. She is close to defending her title to add to her crown at the 2019 New York Marathon, which was her first major career distance win.
Your compatriot Olympic silver medalist Brigid Kosgei, who set the world record of 2:14:04 at the 2019 Chicago Marathon had to retire before the race with a minor thigh injury.
Former half marathon world record holder Jepkosgei meets last year’s two podium finishers again.
This is the Ethiopian couple Degitu Azimerau and Ashete Bekere, Second and third respectively in London last year.
Keep an eye on it too Yalemzerf Yehualaw also from Ethiopia, the second fastest in the women’s field. Her course record of 2:17:23 in Hamburg last April was the fastest debut ever, pushing her to the sixth fastest woman on the all-time list.
Kenenisa Bekele leads a star-studded men’s field
It’s an absolutely packed men’s field in London this year.
There are two men who have won seven Olympic gold medals together and are trying to cement their status among the best long-distance runners.
Bekele and Farah, the only men to have won the 5000m and 10,000m doubles at the Olympics, are both aiming for their first victory in London.
Ethiopian legend Bekele was third in 2016 and second in 2017 but has struggled with injuries since setting a personal best of 2:01.41 at the 2019 Berlin Marathon.
The 40-year-old also retired from the London 2020 race but has since managed to finish sixth in New York in 2021 and recently finished third in the 2022 Great North Run on Sunday 11 September behind Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo.
Brit Farah, winner of the 2018 Chicago Marathon, also returns to the London circuit where he finished third in 2018. His last marathon race was at the 2019 Chicago Marathon, where he finished eighth. He’s back on the road after missing out on qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on track.
Watch out for the third fastest men’s marathon runner Birhanu Legese who finished fifth in London last year.
And having added the London Marathon to his previous two wins in Frankfurt and Vienna, fellow 2021 champion Lemma is a top pick to defend his crown.
Tokyo bronze medalist Abdi Bashir will also make his racing debut in London. The Belgian, who trains with Farah, is the European record holder (2:03:36).
Other big names and Olympians at the 2022 London Marathon
It’s always worth keeping an eye on the official starters at London’s flagship race. Three lionesses from England’s squad that won the UEFA European Women’s Championship 2022: Captain Leah Williamsonthe record goalscorer Ellen White and Jill Scottwill be the official starters of the wheelchair races, the elite women’s race and the elite men’s and crowds.
Before switching to football, Scott was a talented runner, winning the girls’ under-15 race at the 2001 Mini London Marathon, an event that Farah also won as a junior.
Among the thousands of “mass runners” taking part in the race will be a number of famous personalities, including celebrities from the sports, music and entertainment worlds.
The list of participating British Olympians includes two-time Olympic rowing champions from Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 James CrackellGold medalist in ice hockey in 1988 in Seoul Steve Batchelor, Eventing Gold Medalist Tom McEwen, and world champion runner and Olympic medalist from Atlanta 1996 Ivan Thomas.
An Irish Olympic rugby sevens star will also be lining up for the ‘Fun Run’, raising funds and awareness for charity Greg O’SheaLos Angeles 1984 Women’s Marathon Champion Joan Benoit Samuelson from America.
London Marathon 2022 schedule
Racing begins on Sunday 2nd October 2022 in the morning at Greenwich. Currently, the UK time zone is British Summer Time, which is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The start times for the different races are:
08:50 – Men’s and women’s elite wheelchair races
09:00 – Elite Women’s Race
09:40 – Elite Men’s Race and Mass Start
The first people to cross the finish line will be the elite wheelchair winners, due to pass Buckingham Palace around 10:20am on Sunday.
Winners in the elite women’s category will finish the course after 11:05am BST, with the fastest men finishing the course just after 11:40am. Anyone who finishes before that has probably broken a world record! The finish line at The Mall in central London will be packed by mid-afternoon when tens of thousands complete their runs.
How to watch the 2022 London Marathon
The race will be broadcast worldwide via the marathon’s official TV and live streaming partners.
Olympic Channel will broadcast the London Marathon live in select territories including the Middle East and parts of Asia including China and Japan via Olympics.com here.
In the host country, the event will be broadcast live on BBC One television and online on BBC iPlayer, with Eurosport also showing the race in parts of Europe and Asia.
For full details on international broadcast and livestream coverage, visit the official London Marathon 2022 website here.
When will the 2023 London Marathon take place?
The 2022 race is the third consecutive edition of the race to be staged in October after being switched to the UK Autumn 2020 due to Covid pandemic restrictions.
That London Marathon 2023 will return to its usual calendar slot for the English spring season, which takes place on Sunday April 23, 2023. Anyone who wants to take part can take part in the election from October 1, 2022.