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London Marathon elite race dates decided by rock, paper, scissors

The dates for the elite female and male races at the 2027 London Marathon were determined by a game of rock, paper, scissors.

  • The elite men's and men's wheelchair races will take place on Saturday, 24 April 2027.
  • The elite women's events are scheduled for Sunday, 25 April 2027.
  • The 2027 London Marathon will be a two-day event, a one-off edition.

A game of rock, paper, scissors was used to decide the dates for the elite female and male races at the 2027 London Marathon. Men's world record holder Sabastian Sawe was beaten by women's wheelchair world record holder Catherine Debrunner in the contest.

As a result, the elite men and men's wheelchair races are scheduled for Saturday, 24 April 2027. The women's events will take place the following day, Sunday, 25 April 2027.

Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events, stated that splitting the elite races will allow a brighter spotlight on the athletes. Organisers had previously confirmed the 2027 London Marathon would be held across two days in a one-off edition to enable more people to participate, following a record 1.33 million ballot entries.

The women's championship categories will line up behind the women's elite field for the first time, with the elite women's wheelchair field starting just ahead of them. The main events on both days will feature a mixed field of male, female, and non-binary participants.

Why this matters: The decision to split the elite races across two days and the method of determining their dates are part of a unique, one-off edition of the London Marathon aimed at increasing participation and spotlighting athletes.

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