The 2027 London Marathon is scheduled for the last weekend of April

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Organisers of the London Marathon are considering a major format shift for the 2027 elite women's race by potentially including male competitors and pacemakers to drive faster finishing times and challenge the world record.

Hugh Brasher, the event's chief executive, has shared he is willing to explore the change after what he described as a heartbreaking sequence of events in women's marathon running this year.

The overall mixed-race world record of 2:09:56 belongs to Kenyan athlete Ruth Chepng'etich, who achieved the time at the 2024 Chicago Marathon.

That mark has been mired in controversy after Chepng'etich returned a positive drug test five months later and received a three-year ban in 2025.

"I'm sorry, but I think that world record is entirely dubious; if you study everything that's been said, from the AIU (Athletics Integrity Unit), and what they believe, that's a personal opinion," Brasher said.

The London Marathon chief has also been vocal about the need for greater integrity across the World Marathon Majors, particularly after the provisional suspension of Peres Jepchirchir, who also failed a drugs test.