London Marathon 2024: World record-holder Tigst Assefa aiming for course record

Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa says she is “here to win” her maiden London Marathon on Sunday.

Assefa, 27, is the women’s world record-holder after completing the Berlin Marathon in two hours 11 minutes 53 seconds in September.

She is also aiming to beat the London Marathon record of 2:17:01 set by Kenya’s Mary Keitany in 2017.

“God will show how good I am, I have prepared very well and I am sure I can beat the course record,” she said.

“Regardless of whether it is London or Berlin, it will not change my strategy at all.”

Assefa will be competing against Kenya’s trio of Brigid Kosgei, Ruth Chepngetich and Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir, and Ethiopia’s 2022 London Marathon winner Yalemzerf Yehualaw.

Kosgei, Chepngetich and Assefa are three of the four fastest women over the distance in history, with two-time London Marathon winner Kosgei saying she is “happy” to return.

“I have been preparing well in Kenya and I am ready,” she added.

Great Britain’s Becky Briggs, Alice Wright, Anya Culling, Rachel Hodgkinson, Helen Gaunt, Mhairi Maclennan and Lucy Reid are also competing on Sunday.