Marcel Hug equals London Marathon record on historic Sunday

Swiss superstar Marcel Hug produced yet another display of total control at the London Marathon, capturing his eighth men’s title and equalling Britain’s David Weir as the most decorated male athlete in the wheelchair race. It came on a historic Sunday in the British capital that also saw Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe become the first man to complete an ambulant marathon in under two hours.

Switzerland celebrated a second triumph when Catherine Debrunner claimed victory in the women’s wheelchair race, securing her fourth London crown.

The 40‑year‑old Hug led from the outset, stopping the clock at 1:24:1 to earn his sixth straight win in London, finishing more than four and a half minutes ahead of the field. The “Silver Bullet” surged clear after 10km and maintained his pace through the sunlit streets, finishing less than 30 seconds outside his 2023 course record.

“I’m not much into statistics, but it’s a great standard to be equal with David, who is a legend here in London and a legend in general,” said the three‑time Paralympic marathon champion. “Right now, I feel exhausted and very satisfied. To win in London is always amazing.”

China’s Luo Xingchuan, who had pushed Hug at the Tokyo Marathon earlier this year, attempted to stay with him again. The 23‑year‑old held on for as long as he could and was rewarded with second place in 1:28:46 on his London debut. Weir finished third in 1:29:23, earning his 22nd podium in his 27th consecutive London Marathon, despite a chaotic week of unexpected travel and emergency repairs to a damaged racing chair after Monday’s Boston Marathon.

Calling it “one of my best performances,” the six‑time Paralympic champion said: “I’ve got to be proud of myself today. I put my heart and soul out there.”

Debrunner edges McFadden in dramatic finish

In the women’s wheelchair race, Catherine Debrunner added another London triumph to her resume, holding off USA Tatyana McFadden in a gripping duel to secure her fourth TCS London Marathon title in 1:38:29. The win also marked her third straight victory in the British capital.

The contest unfolded as a tense back‑and‑forth, with Debrunner and McFadden repeatedly swapping the lead in a tactical battle that lasted almost the entire course. Debrunner finally broke free near Buckingham Palace, launching a decisive sprint that McFadden could not match, finishing five seconds behind in 1:38:34. Swiss star Manuela Schaer completed the podium in 1:41:21, after fading shortly past halfway.

“It was quite a different race than I expected – very tactical at the end,” Debrunner said. “My Garmin didn’t work, so I had no idea about my pace, but in wheelchair racing you have to adapt. Winning once is much easier than defending a title. Every victory is special, and the field is incredibly strong right now.”

The streets of London belong to them!
The Swiss Catherine Debrunner and Marcel Hug have dominated the marathon in The Capital once again! 🇨🇭

With this win, Marcel secures his 8th London crown while Catherine claims her 4th 🏆#ParaAthletics pic.twitter.com/ljlAaDHQ2g

— Para Athletics (@ParaAthletics) April 26, 2026

The 31-year-old arrived in London just days after finishing second at the Boston Marathon, where she was beaten by Britain’s Eden‑Rainbow Cooper. Back on a course that suits her strengths, she settled quickly, reaching halfway in 47:17 with McFadden close behind and determined to fight for her first World Marathon Major since 2021.

McFadden – who dominated this race between 2013 and 2016 with four consecutive wins – used all her experience to stay in contention, but ultimately had to settle for second.

It was a difficult outing for Rainbow‑Cooper, who had enjoyed a superb run of podiums in Boston, Sydney and Berlin. A tyre valve snapped before the start, leaving her without a spare and forcing her to begin after the rest of the field. She completed the race on a half‑flat tyre and finished 11th in 1:51:12.

“I’m so disappointed and feeling a lot of emotion right now,” she said. “My valve snapped on the way in and I didn’t have a spare. I missed the start completely and had to race on one half‑flat tyre, far from ideal.”

Sawe smashes the ultimate barrier

The British capital also witnessed a moment for the history books when Sabastian Sawe became the first man to run a competitive marathon in under two hours, stopping the clock at 1:59:30 to defend his London title. The 31‑year‑old Kenyan led a record‑breaking race in which two athletes dipped under the previous world record, and three finished inside the old mark.

History was made in the women’s ambulant race as well. Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa improved the women‑only world record she set in London a year ago, retaining her crown in 2:15:41. For the first time in marathon history, three women finished under 2:16:00 in the same race.

London Marathon 2026 – Men’s wheelchair race top 10

1 – Marcel Hug (SUI) – 1:24:13  

2 – Luo Xingchuan (CHN) – 1:28:46  

3 – David Weir (GBR) – 1:29:23  

4 – Tomoki Suzuki (JPN) – 1:30:05  

5 – Jetze Plat (NED) – 1:31:04  

6 – Sho Watanabe (JPN) – 1:31:42  

7 – Hiroki Kishizawa (JPN) – 1:31:43  

8 – Evan Correll (USA) – 1:32:03  

9 – Geert Schipper (NED) – 1:33:53  

10 – Ludwig Malter (AUT) – 1:33:54

London Marathon 2026 – Women’s wheelchair race top 10

1 – Catherine Debrunner (SUI) – 1:38:29  

2 – Tatyana McFadden (USA) – 1:38:34  

3 – Manuela Schär (SUI) – 1:41:21  

4 – Yajuan Tian (CHN) – 1:46:59  

5 – Zhaoqian Zhou (CHN) – 1:46:59  

6 – Tsubasa Nakamine (JPN) – 1:47:01  

7 – Madison de Rozario (AUS) – 1:47:01  

8 – Vanessa de Souza (BRA) – 1:47:01  

9 – Patricia Eachus (SUI) – 1:48:00  

10 – Christie Dawes (AUS) – 1:48:38

More information and complete results of the TSC London Marathon 2026 can be found here.