Athletics - London Marathon receives world record 840,000 applications for 2025 race
Reuters
April 29, 2024 16:19 MYT
April 29, 2024 16:19 MYT
Runner Sid Keyte dressed as a telephone box in action during the marathon, London Marathon, London, Britain, April 21, 2024 - REUTERS/Filepic
LONDON: London Marathon organisers said they have received 840,318 applications for the 2025 race, breaking the world record of 578,374 set in last year's public ballot.
More than 53,000 runners completed the 44th edition of the marathon last week, a record for the event, with Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir setting a women-only world record.
There were an estimated 17,000 ballot spaces available for this year's race.
"This is an absolutely phenomenal total," event director Hugh Brasher said on Monday.
"Furthermore, the increase in applications from women, up from around 43% last year to 49% this year, is exceptional and takes us close to parity for applications for the first time.
"We want to inspire people of all ages and abilities to get active and these amazing record-breaking figures show how the TCS London Marathon is doing that and how many people want to be part of it," Brasher added.
The 2025 London Marathon is scheduled for April 27.