FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Eilish McColgan to debut at 2022 TCS London Marathon
Scottish distance star will join a stacked elite women's field
on Sunday 2 October 2022
Scottish star Eilish McColgan will make her TCS London Marathon debut in
2022 - 26 years after her mum Liz famously won the 1996 edition of the
race.
Excitement has been building around McColgan's marathon debut after a
series of incredible races on the road over the past few years that has
seen her set new British records for 5K, 10K and 10 miles.
She will join a stacked elite women's field for the 2022 TCS London
Marathon on Sunday 2 October that also includes world record holder Brigid
Kosgei (KEN), defending champion Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN), the
fastest-ever female marathon debutant Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) and British
number one Charlotte Purdue.
McColgan, who has prepared for her marathon debut by pacemaking at the past
two London Marathons, said: "I'm so excited to finally be taking part in
the TCS London Marathon. I've been looking forward and planning the step up
to the marathon distance over the past number of years and this year's
London Marathon comes at the perfect time after a busy summer on the track.
"Obviously, the London Marathon holds a very special place in the heart of
my family with my mum's win in 1996. I don't actually remember the race
myself, but I've seen the finish many times down the years. I'm now looking
forward to experiencing it for myself."
Eilish McColgan's thoughts ahead of the 2022 TCS London Marathon
Champions return to London's roads
World record holder Kosgei returns to London looking to win her third TCS
London Marathon crown after victories in 2019 and 2020. The Kenyan, who set
the world record of 2:14:04 in Chicago in 2019, finished a surprise fourth
last year but bounced back to win this year's Tokyo Marathon in a
world-leading time of 2:16:02.
The 2021 champion Jepkosgei - a former world record holder over the half
marathon distance and winner of the 2019 New York City Marathon - ran a
personal best of 2:17:43 to win last year's London Marathon, the fastest
time in the world in 2021, while 22-year-old Yehualaw is the current 10K
world record holder (29:14) and ran 2:17:23 to win the Hamburg Marathon in
April, the fastest marathon debut ever.
Ethiopian duo Degitu Azimeraw and Ashete Bekere, who finished second and
third last year, also return. Bekere finished second behind Kosgei at this
year's Tokyo Marathon in a PB of 2:17:58.
In total, the field contains nine women who have run inside 2:20.
UK talent set for the Start Line
Alongside McColgan, British interest will be led by Purdue, who will run
her third marathon of the year in London after a ninth-placed finish at
April's Boston Marathon and her scheduled run at the World Athletics
Championships in Oregon.
Purdue became the fourth-fastest British female marathon runner of all time
last year when she ran 2:23:26 at the 2021 London Marathon to finish 10th
overall.
Steph Twell and Rose Harvey, the sixth and 10th-fastest Brits of all time
over the marathon distance, and Samantha Harrison, are also among the
leading UK talent signed up.
Hugh Brasher, Event Director of the TCS London Marathon, said: "The
elite women's field at this year's TCS London Marathon has so many
incredible storylines. We're all looking forward to watching Eilish
McColgan follow in her mum Liz's footsteps and seeing if she can translate
her incredible form over the shorter distances on the road to the marathon.
"But we've also got a mouthwatering battle between two great champions,
Brigid Kosgei and Joyciline Jepkosgei. Kosgei showed she is back to her
best form with her win in Tokyo earlier this year, but Jepkosgei looked
incredibly confident during her win here last year.
"Finally, there's the intrigue of seeing how Charlotte Purdue, who just
gets better and better, will perform in her third marathon of the year."
The elite women's field is the first of the 2022 TCS London Marathon Elite
Week announcements. The elite wheelchair athlete fields will be announced
tomorrow and the elite men's field on Thursday (7 July).
2022 TCS London Marathon elite women's field
Name Country Personal Best
Brigid KOSGEI KEN 2:14:04 (WR)
Yalemzerf YEHUALAW ETH 2:17:23
Joyciline JEPKOSGEI KEN 2:17:43
Degitu AZIMERAW ETH 2:17:58
Ashete BEKERE ETH 2:17:58
Joan Chelimo MELLY ROU 2:18:04
Sutume Asefa KEBEDE ETH 2:18:12
Alemu MEGERTU ETH 2:18:51
Hiwot GEBREKIDAN ETH 2:19:10
Ababel YESHANEH ETH 2:20:51
Mary NGUGI KEN 2:21:32
Charlotte PURDUE GBR 2:23:26
Reia IWADE JPN 2:23:52
Stephanie TWELL GBR 2:26:40
Rose HARVEY GBR 2:27:20
Marci KLIMEK USA 2:30:48
Samantha HARRISON GBR 2:32:22
Anna BRACEGIRDLE GBR 2:34:20
Emma STYLES GBR 2:37:36
Girmawit GEBRZIHAIR ETH Debut
Eilish McCOLGAN GBR Debut
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