Defending champion Alexander Mutiso of Kenya is relishing a chance to come up against a star-studded field at the 2025 London Marathon, saying it will help him clock his personal best.
The 28-year-old, who has a personal best of two hours, three minutes and 11 seconds, will be looking to defend his crown on the streets of the British capital city on April 27 against a formidable line-up that comprises five athletes who have run the marathon in less than two hours and four minutes.
Last year, Mutiso stunned the field that included legendary Ethiopian distance runner Kenenisa Bekele to claim his maiden World Marathon Majors victory, winning in the British capital in 2:04:01.
Mutiso edged out Bekele, who was chasing his first win in London to second place by three seconds (2:04:15), as home athlete Emile Cairess claimed a career-best third place in 2:06:46.
Mutiso predicted that the late Kelvin Kiptum’s course record in London (2:01:25) set in 2023 and World Record (2:00:35), which was broken the same year at the Chicago Marathon, could be on the line owing to the fine field.
“The course record and world record can easily be obliterated with such a fine, strong, and competitive field in place. Good weather and cooperation among competitors are other factors that can contribute to fast times,” said Mutiso.
“If we run together and push one another combined with good weather conditions, it is easier to run a good time and even hit the course record, but sometimes such races that have some of the best tend to register slower times because fear grips in,” added Mutiso, who is coached by Peter Muteti.
Besides Mutiso, the other five athletes to look out for will be former world record holder Eliud Kipchoge ((2:01:09), reigning Paris Olympics marathon champion Tamirat Tola from Ethiopia (2:03:39), Kenyan duo of Sabastian Sawe (2:02:05) and Timothy Kiplagat (2:02:55), and Ethiopia’s Milkesa Mengesha 2:03:17). Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, the 2020 world half marathon champion, will be running his first marathon in London.
“I competed with Tola in the London Marathon last year, and at the Olympics where Kipchoge also ran,” said Mutiso, who finished in 21st position in 2:10:31. Tola, 33, won the race in 2:06:26.
Mutiso said Kiplimo, who will be making his debut, brings a different ingredient to the race. The two last faced off during the 2020 Valencia Half Marathon.
Ngong-based Mutiso will use the 77th Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon on February 2 to prepare for his London Marathon title defence.
He started training early this month, running between 30km to 35km from Monday to Saturday, while engaging in speed work of between 2km and 14km on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“I do the long runs in Ngong while speed work at Vapour track, Ngong, and Ulinzi Sports Complex,” said Mutiso, who won the 2023 Prague Marathon in 2:05:09, before finishing second in 2:03:11 at the 2023 Valencia Marathon behind race winner Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma in 2:01:48. He made his debut at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Marathon in 2021, but failed to finish.
“My performances in Prague, Valencia, and London contributed to my selection in Team Kenya for the Paris Olympics. Winning in London made me realise that nothing is impossible,” said Mutiso.
Mutiso said making Team Kenya for the second time and especially the Olympics was a dream come true, having flown the national flag last when he won bronze in 3,000m at the 2013 world youth championships in Donetsk, Ukraine.
Among Kenyans who have inspired Mutiso’s marathon performances is the former marathon world record holder, Patrick Makau.
Makau made history as the first Kenyan to hold a marathon world record after Paul Tergat when he put away the 2011 Berlin Marathon in 2:03:38, breaking Haile Gebrselassie’s previous time of 2:03:59 from 2008 Berlin.
“My friend Makau is among the athletes who have continued to inspire me…London and Paris Olympics was just the beginning,” said Mutiso, adding that another victory in London will be enough for him to pitch his place in Team Kenya for this year’s World Athletics Championships scheduled for September 13 to 21 in Tokyo, Japan.
