2026 London Marathon Women Results
Tigst Assefa ran 2:15:41 to set a new women-only world record at the 2026 TCS London Marathon. Full results, splits analysis, and what this race means for women's marathon running.
· 5 min read · Rankings & Data
The 2026 TCS London Marathon women's race rewrote the record books in a way nobody had quite expected. Three women finished inside 2:16, and Tigst Assefa crossed the line in **2:15:41** to set a new women-only world record - the fastest marathon by a woman on a course that doesn't allow male pacemakers.
That distinction matters. Assefa's time at the 2023 Berlin Marathon (2:11:53) remains the outright women's world record, set with mixed pacing. This London performance is the fastest a woman has ever run against other women, no male rabbits, just a field racing each other into history.
The top 3: a race for the ages
Hellen Obiri finished second in 2:15:53 - a time that would have been a world record two years ago. Joyciline Jepkosgei completed one of the most extraordinary women's podiums in marathon history with 2:15:55. Those three women are separated by 14 seconds across the line.
For context: it was the first time three women had finished under 2:16 in the same race.
Full results
| # | Time | Athlete | Country | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1 | **2:15:41** | Tigst Assefa | 🇪🇹 ETH | | 2 | **2:15:53** | Hellen Obiri | 🇰🇪 KEN | | 3 | **2:15:55** | Joyciline Jepkosgei | 🇰🇪 KEN | | 4 | **2:19:13** | Degitu Azimeraw | 🇪🇹 ETH | | 5 | **2:21:20** | Catherine Reline Amanang'ole | 🇰🇪 KEN | | 6 | **2:23:44** | Eunice Chebichii Chumba | 🇧🇭 BRN | | 7 | **2:24:51** | Eilish McColgan | 🇬🇧 GBR | | 8 | **2:25:47** | Julia Paternain | 🇺🇾 URU | | 9 | **2:26:14** | Rose Harvey | 🇬🇧 GBR | | 10 | **2:27:38** | Marta Galimany | 🇪🇸 ESP | | 11 | **2:28:29** | Louise Small | 🇬🇧 GBR | | 12 | **2:29:28** | Jessica Warner-Judd | 🇬🇧 GBR | | 13 | **2:36:36** | Verity Hopkins | 🇬🇧 GBR |
What this race tells us about where the women's marathon is heading
The gap between the top 3 and 4th place (Degitu Azimeraw, 2:19:13) is nearly four minutes. That's not a sign that the rest of the field was slow - Azimeraw ran a serious time. It just shows how much faster the top tier has become.
The women's marathon has been on an aggressive improvement arc since 2019. The combination of carbon-plated shoes, high-carb fueling strategies (90-120g/hr is now standard at elite level), and aggressive pacing from race organisers has pushed times into territory that looked impossible a decade ago.
Eilish McColgan's 2:24:51 in 7th was a massive PB and a statement that British women's marathon running is in a genuinely strong place.
What this means for your training
You won't be chasing a 2:15 any time soon, but the elite performances give you something concrete to learn from:
1. Pacing discipline at the start is everything. Assefa and the top three held consistent splits throughout - no blowup, no survival mode in the final 10km. Use our [Race Predictor](/tools/race-predictor) to set a realistic goal and lock in your target pace before race day. 2. Fueling has changed. These athletes are consuming far more carbohydrates per hour than the traditional gel-every-45-minutes approach. If you're racing a half or full marathon, it's worth building your gut tolerance in training. 3. Racing women-only fields develops different tactics. Assefa trained and raced to lead from the front without leaning on men's pacing. If you run women-only events or find yourself in smaller race fields, check out our [Run Planner](/run-planner) to build the kind of fitness that lets you dictate your own race.
Official results and sources
Full results: [TCS London Marathon official results](https://results.tcslondonmarathon.com/2026/)
Watch the full women's race recap in our video below:
[](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4SUo4oivL78)
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