London Marathon breaks world record for most finishers

The 2025 London Marathon set a new world record for the number of finishers despite hot conditions during the event's 45th edition.

At 18:35 BST on Sunday, the number of runners to have completed the 26.2-mile route had surpassed the previous record of 55,646 set by the New York Marathon in November.

That tally is expected to grow further into the night as more runners finish on The Mall.

Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events, said: "The TCS London Marathon is the world's greatest marathon, and it is now officially the world's biggest marathon. It is difficult to put into words the emotions of today.

"The support from the hundreds of thousands lining the streets has been unprecedented and is so important to those participants running for so many good causes.

"The good the TCS London Marathon does is unrivalled. The feeling of this day and the benefits that running gives people can change people's lives. We want as many people as possible to share that feeling, so if anyone has been inspired by what they have seen today, now is the time to enter the ballot for the 2026 TCS London Marathon."

More than 840,000 people applied for the ballot to enter this year's race, breaking the world record of 578,304 for the 2024 edition.

Of UK applicants 49% were female, while there was a 105% increase in applications from people aged between 20-29.

Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa surged to victory in the elite women's race in a world record for a women's only field, while Kenya's Sebastian Sawe triumphed in the men's event.

It was a Swiss double in the wheelchair races for the second year running as Catherine Debrunner broke her own course record in the women's race and Marcel Hug stormed to his seventh victory in the men's.

On Saturday, more than 15,000 young people competed in the Mini London Marathon, making it the biggest since the event started in 1986.