Sifan Hassan, the reigning Olympic marathon champion, will launch an audacious assault on Peres Jepchirchir’s women-only world record at the 2025 London Marathon. The organisers confirmed on Wednesday. The Dutch distance icon, who claimed gold at the 2024 Paris Games alongside two bronze medals in track events, seeks to eclipse Jepchirchir’s 2:16:16 benchmark set at last year’s London event.
Sifan Hassan’s quest gains urgency with a $125,000 world record bonus on offer, a prize that could accompany the $55,000 winner’s purse.
“Ruth Chepngetich proved the impossible is possible,” Hassan told reporters, referencing the Kenyan’s 2024 mixed-gender world record of 2:09:56. “Now it’s about perfecting the craft—patience, pacing, pain,” Sifan Hassan added.
The April 27 race will pit Hassan against Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa, the Paris 2024 silver medalist, and Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei, a former half-marathon world record holder. Notably absent are reigning record holders Chepngetich and Jepchirchir, leaving Hassan to battle both the clock and a deep field.
From Track Titan to Marathon Maverick
Sifan Hassan’s transition from middle-distance dominance to marathon excellence has captivated the sport. Her 2023 London victory, a gritty 2:28:33 performance marred by mid-race injuries and a near-collision with a course motorbike, showcased resilience. Now fully recovered, she’s trained since December 2024 specifically for this record attempt.
“This isn’t just about speed—it’s about rewriting what women can achieve alone,” said a race official, referencing the women-only category’s unique pacing challenges. Hassan’s recent track pedigree—including a 3:51.95 1500m personal best—suggests untapped marathon potential.
A successful bid would cement Hassan’s status as history’s most versatile distance runner, bridging her Olympic track medals of 2016-2024 and marathon prowess. Paralympic stars Catherine Debrunner and Marcel Hug will share the spotlight, while men’s Olympic champion Tamirat Tola defends his London title.
As London’s streets prepare to witness another chapter in marathon history, all eyes rest on Sifan Hassan’s relentless stride—and the clock ticking toward 2:16:16.
Sifan Hassan Medals
Sifan Hassan secured six Olympic medals during her career. At the 2020 Tokyo Games, she claimed gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m and bronze in the 1,500m.
In Paris 2024, Sifan Hassan earned bronze in both the 5,000m and 10,000m before sprinting to marathon gold in an Olympic record time of 2:22:55. Her Paris performance made her the first woman to medal in all three distance events at a single Games and the first athlete since 1952 to achieve this feat. Sifan Hassan also holds multiple world records, including the one-hour run.