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Peres Jepchirchir will return to the TCS London Marathon on April 26 with her sights firmly set on another major title, as the Kenyan star lines up in one of the strongest women’s fields assembled for the race in recent years. The Olympic marathon champion is part of an elite cast that includes defending London champion Tigst Assefa, fellow Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei, and Hellen Obiri, with organisers initially also billing the race as a three-way showdown involving Sifan Hassan.

For Jepchirchir, the London race offers another chance to underline her place among the leading marathoners of her generation. She won the 2024 London Marathon in a women-only world record of 2:16:16, defeating Assefa in a dramatic finish and adding another major title to a résumé that already includes Olympic gold from Tokyo, the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon.

This year’s race, however, presents a fresh challenge. Assefa returns as defending champion after storming to victory in London in 2025 and setting a women-only world record of 2:15:50, making her one of the biggest threats to Jepchirchir’s hopes of reclaiming the crown. Their rivalry has become one of the most compelling in women’s marathon running, with Jepchirchir having beaten the Ethiopian in London in 2024 and again at the 2025 World Championships marathon in Tokyo.

Jepchirchir’s presence in the field also strengthens Kenya’s hopes in a race where the country has multiple contenders. Joyciline Jepkosgei, one of the fastest women in marathon history, is also set to compete, while Hellen Obiri will add further Kenyan firepower in a field loaded with proven championship performers. That depth gives Kenya a strong hand, but it also means the margin for error will be slim in a race likely to be decided by pace, tactics and finishing strength.

There has already been a late shift in the build-up after reports that Hassan has withdrawn from the 2026 race, a development that could slightly alter the competitive picture while still leaving the women’s event stacked with world-class talent.

For Jepchirchir, the bigger goal remains clear. London is not just another marathon. It is a chance to reassert dominance on one of the sport’s biggest stages and to do so against the very athlete now carrying the women-only world record. If she can overcome Assefa and the rest of the field, it would be another statement win for one of Kenya’s finest distance runners.