London Marathon 2026: Sifan Hassan, Olympic champion, withdraws due to Achilles injury sustained in treadmill 'incident'
Olympic champion Sifan Hassan has withdrawn from the London Marathon due to an Achilles injury, race organisers said; Hassan sustained the injury on a treadmill and will now miss the race on April 26
Last Updated: 24/03/26 8:27am
Olympic champion Sifan Hassan has withdrawn from next month’s TCS London Marathon after being injured by an ‘unfortunate incident’ on a treadmill.
The 2023 champion was among the favourites to win this year's event, taking place on April 26, having previously become the first woman to win Olympic golds over 5,000m, 10,000m and the marathon.
The reigning Olympic marathon champion has been hampered by an Achilles injury during her training, having sustained the injury running on a treadmill last month.
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Hassan's injury was initially believed to be minor, leaving her continuing to train, although she has now pulled out of the race to avoid aggravating the injury and prioritise her long-term health.
"This has been a very tough decision to make," Hassan said. "I love racing the TCS London Marathon - it is where I won my first-ever marathon and I have so many special memories there.
"But it is also the highest-quality marathon on the planet, and to compete at that level, you need to be in perfect condition.
"After the incident, I hoped the injury would settle, but as training progressed it became clear that I wasn't able to prepare at the level I expect from myself.
"I have to listen to my body and focus on recovering properly. I look forward to returning to race in London again on plenty more occasions in the future."
The 33-year-old run three Abbott World Marathon Majors, also competing in Sydney and New York after finishing third in London.
Hassan won bronze in the 5,000m and 10,000m in the 2024 Paris Olympics, having won gold in both in Tokyo, then won the marathon in a an Olympic record time of two hours 22 minutes and 55 seconds.
Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa headlines the elite women's field, as of March 23, with Kenyan duo Joyciline Jepkosgei and Peres Jepchirchir among the others due to feature.
British trio Charlotte Purdue, Rose Harvey and Abbie Donnelly are also in the elite field, with Eilish McColgan returns after making her debut in last year's event.
Sabastian Sawe won the 2025 men's race in 2:02:27, while Tigst Assefa took the women's title with a time of 2:15:50.
