Rock, paper, scissors used to set schedule for two-day London Marathon

Sabastian Sawe and Catherine Debrunner played a game of rock, paper, scissors to decide the running order for the elite races at next year's two-day London Marathon. Debrunner won the contest, leaving the elite men and men's wheelchair races scheduled for Saturday, 24 April, with the women's events on the traditional Sunday.

Sawe is the men's world record holder and Debrunner the women's wheelchair world record holder; both were champions in their respective 2026 London Marathon races. Debrunner beat Sawe in the contest that determined the race days. Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events, said: "Sabastian and Catherine's rock, paper, scissors battle was an entertaining way to decide which day would host each elite race. "Splitting the elite races will allow us to shine an even brighter spotlight on the extraordinary athletes taking part."

Earlier this year organisers confirmed the London Marathon will be held across two days in what is said to be a momentous one-off edition of the event. The change was introduced to enable more people to take part after a record 1.33 million people entered the ballot for next year. The main events on both days will be a mixed field of male, female and non-binary participants.

The women's championship categories will line-up behind the women's elite field for the first time in the London race. "Our outstanding elite women's wheelchair field will begin the action just ahead of them, creating a true celebration of women's marathon racing," Brasher added. That arrangement places the elite women's championship and the women's wheelchair competition on the traditional Sunday programme.

Related items attached to the report included the short headline Debrunner wins women's wheelchair race. Coverage also referenced "Absolutely incredible!' - Sawe breaks sub 2-hour marathon world record in London" and the line Sawe smashes two-hour mark to 'move goalposts for marathon running'. It additionally noted Injured Assefa narrowly misses world record in Berlin.

Organisers say the adjustment to a two-day format is intended to expand participation beyond the immediate elite fields; in 2027 a record-breaking 100,000 participants will take part and it is estimated that more than £150m will be raised for charitable causes.