NAIROBI, Kenya, January 16, 2025 – Kenya’s Alexander Mutiso will be back to defend his London Marathon crown at this year’s edition on April 21.
The 28-year-old clocked 2:04:01 to cut the tape at last year’s edition and notch his first-ever World Marathon Majors win.
Two-time London Marathon champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia finished second in 2:04:14 as Great Britain’s Emile Cairess clocked 2:06:46 in third.
Since then, Mutiso has represented Kenya at the Paris Olympics – a maiden appearance – where he clocked 2:10:31 in a disappointing 21st place.
He then recovered to finish second in the men’s 10,000m at the NITTAIDAI Challenge Games in Japan in November, after clocking 27:42.04.
Mutiso’s last race was on December 15, clocking 1:02:34 to finish second at the Bangsaen21 Half Marathon in Thailand.
Elite competition
In the United Kingdom, he will be up against an elite opposition including Olympic champion Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia, New York Marathon champion Abdi Nageeye as well as Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo who will be making his debut in the 42km.
As far as London goes, Tola will be on an atonement mission after failing to finish in last year’s edition.
His also failed to maintain the momentum from his Olympic win in Paris, finishing fourth at the New York Marathon in November after timing 2:08:12.
The man who beat him to the top prize in the Big Apple, Nageeye, will be out for his second World Marathon Majors win.
The 2020 Olympic marathon silver medalist clocked 2:07:39 to win in New York.
The Somali-born Dutchman, who trains in Kenya under the NN Running Team, which includes two-time world record holder Eliud Kipchoge, has indeed come a long way.
However, he will be debuting in London and it will be interesting to see how he handles the unfamiliar course.
Also hoping for a fairytale debut in London is Kiplimo who transitions into the 42km off the back of a medal-laden track and field career.
One bronze each at the 2020 Olympics and the 2022 World Championships in the men’s 10,000m as well as two Commonwealth Games titles in Birmingham in 2022 (5000m and 10,000m) and three World Cross Country crowns speak volume about the Ugandan’s pedigree.
His road race record is also not one to be sniffed at; boasting a world title in Gdynia in 2020, and a world record (57:31) at the Lisbon Half Marathon in 2021.
Kiplimo’s last race, the New York Half Marathon, yielded victory in 1:01:31.
Other Kenyan contestants
Mutiso will not be the only one flying the Kenyan flag in London.
World Half Marathon champion Sabastian Sawe will be keen to continue from his delightful debut at December’s Valencia Marathon where he stormed to victory in 2:02:05.
The past season brought with it a bountiful harvest for the 29-year-old who also won at the Copenhagen Half Marathon (58:05), Atlanta 10km (28:03), Boston 10km (27:42), and the Prague Half Marathon (58:24).
Equally one to watch out for is the 2022 Abu Dhabi Marathon champion Timothy Kiplagat who wrote his name in history as the seventh fastest marathoner when he clocked 2:02:55 to finish second at last year’s Tokyo Marathon.
The 31-year-old was initially named in the men’s marathon team for the Paris Olympics but ultimately missed out, before closing the season with fourth place at the Shanghai Marathon – clocking 2:06:43.
Also in contention will be the 2023 Madrid Half Marathon champion Hillary Kipkoech.
His last race was at the Valencia Marathon where he clocked 2:04:45 to finish eighth.
