Athletics-London Marathon weighs two-day race format from 2027


Athletics - London Marathon - London, Britain - April 27, 2025 A runner in fancy dress as they run over Tower Bridge during the London Marathon REUTERS/Jaimi Joy

March 25 (Reuters) - ⁠The London Marathon could be ⁠staged as a two-day event ‌from 2027 under new proposals to increase participation numbers, organisers said on Wednesday.

London ​Marathon Events confirmed it ⁠is in talks ⁠with stakeholders over the plan, which ⁠would ‌allow 100,000 amateur runners to take part over ⁠the weekend. The elite men's and ​women's ‌races would also be staged ⁠on separate ​days under the plan, the Guardian newspaper said.

The proposal follows ⁠a surge in interest for ​the race, with a record 1.1 million people applying for a ⁠place in the 2026 edition.

"We are continually exploring innovative ways to enable more people to take ​part," a spokesperson ⁠said, adding that the immediate priority ​remains the upcoming ‌race scheduled for April ​26.

(Reporting by Tommy Lund in GdanskEditing by Christian Radnedge)

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