FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Former London Marathon champions return to start
elite women's race in 2023
- Fourtime winner Ingrid Kristiansen returns to London as official starter
of the 2023 TCS London Marathon women's race
- She is joined by 1998 London Marathon winner Catherina McKiernan
- Elite field for 2023 includes Britain's Eilish McColgan, double Olympic
champion Sifan Hassan and world record holder Brigid Kosgei
Two former London Marathon champions, Ingrid Kristiansen and Catherina
McKiernan, will be the official starters of the 2023 TCS London Marathon
women's elite race on Sunday 23 April.
Kristiansen won the London Marathon four times, the most victories by any
female runner in the event's history. She won four out of five London
Marathons between 1984 and 1988 and set a world record time of 2:21:06 at
the 1985 London Marathon, which stood for 13 years. This year will be 35
years since her final London Marathon win in 1988, a landmark she will
celebrate by being named as an official starter for an incredible elite
women's race in London next month.
Kristiansen will be joined as official starter by McKiernan, another London
Marathon champion, who won the 1998 race on her debut in London. McKiernan,
who also won the Berlin Marathon in 1997 and remains the Irish marathon
record holder (2:22:23), will be celebrating 25 years since her win in
London.
Norwegian Kristiansen said: "I'm honoured to have been asked to start the
elite women's race at this year's TCS London Marathon. It will be only my
second time back in London since I won in 1988. Winning the London Marathon
on four occasions was a huge personal achievement and I have very fond
memories of each race. London will always hold a special place in my heart.
"This year's elite women's field is impressive. I hope the new generation
of elite female marathon runners continue to inspire young girls and women
to be active and believe in themselves."
McKiernan said: "I'm incredibly excited to be returning to London with
Ingrid to officially start a fantastic women's elite race at the 2023 TCS
London Marathon. I have lots of wonderful memories of my win in London
nearly 25 years ago and I'm delighted to have been invited back.
"This year's women's race is going to be a memorable one - there are some
incredible names set to run in April. I think I'm most excited to see how
Eilish McColgan gets on. I raced many times alongside her mum Liz so it'll
be great to see Eilish make her debut.
"I'll be joined on Marathon Day by my children, and I can't wait for them
to see what a wonderful occasion the London Marathon is. I hope everyone
taking part has an amazing day."
Today's announcement comes on International Women's Day (Wednesday 8 March)
as the TCS London Marathon celebrates the achievements of two of its
legendary female winners by honouring them with the role of official
starters for what is arguably the greatest women's elite field ever
assembled.
Among those on the Start Line in April will be defending champion Yelemzerf
Yehualaw (ETH), marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei (KEN) and
Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir (KEN). Joining them, and making their
TCS London Marathon debuts, are two current stars of athletics - Britain's
Eilish McColgan, the reigning Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion, and
Dutch middledistance Olympic champion Sifan Hassan.
Kristiansen and McKiernan will be the official starters of the elite
women's race at the 2023 TCS London Marathon on Sunday 23 April. Starters
of the elite wheelchair races and the elite men and masses will be
announced in the coming weeks.
Previous starters include Queen Elizabeth II, the Prince and Princess of
Wales with the Duke of Sussex, Sir Andy Murray, Lionesses Leah Williamson
OBE, Jill Scott MBE and Ellen White MBE, and Sir Steve Redgrave.
About the London Marathon
- The 2023 TCS London Marathon will take place on Sunday 23 April.
- The London Marathon was first held on 29 March 1981 and the millionth
finisher in the history of the event crossed the line in 2016.
- The 2023 TCS London Marathon Official Charity of the Year is Great Ormond
Street Hospital Children's Charity.
- Since the first London Marathon in 1981, the event has raised more than
£1 billion for charity.
- London Marathon Events gifts its surplus each year to The London Marathon
Foundation. Since 1981, The London Marathon Foundation has awarded grants
totalling in excess of £98.3 million to more than 1,500 projects in
London and across the UK.
- London Marathon Foundation is the operating name of The London Marathon
Charitable Trust, the parent charity of London Marathon Events.
For more information, visit tcslondonmarathon.com
About TCS
Tata Consultancy Services is an IT services, consulting and business
solutions organisation that has been partnering with many of the world's
largest businesses in their transformation journeys for over 50 years. TCS
is one of the biggest software and services companies in the UK, and is at
the heart of technological innovation within some of the UK's bestknown
brands. TCS has operated in the UK for more than 45 years and has over 200
customers in the UK today. TCS currently employs over 20,000 in the UK and
Ireland.
TCS engages in a number of sports sponsorships in the UK, including being
title partner of the TCS London Marathon and the official technology
partner of the Jaguar TCS Formula E Racing Team. TCS is also the official
title partner of distance running events including the TCS New York City
Marathon, the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon, the TCS Amsterdam Marathon
and the TCS Lidingöloppet.
###
|
