Kamworor eyes redemption on return to London Marathon

Geoffrey Kamworor/ FILE

Two-time New York City Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor will be hoping to stroll down memory lane when he returns to familiar territory at the London Marathon on April  26, determined to better his memorable performance in 2023.

At the 2023 edition of the London showpiece, Kamworor produced one of the finest performances of his career, clocking a personal best 2:04:23 over the classic 42km distance.

That race was dominated by the late world record holder Kelvin Kiptum, who stormed to victory in 2:01:25, while Ethiopian Tamirat Tola completed the podium in third in 2:04:59.

Kamworor’s time from that race remains his fastest marathon to date, a benchmark he is eager to revisit on the streets of the British capital.

The 33-year-old has openly expressed his excitement about returning to a course that brought out the very best in him.

“Back to the place where I ran my personal best, the London Marathon,” Kamworor shared.

This year’s race carries added significance, with the Kenyan set to share the start line with his close friend and NN Running Team teammate, Uganda’s long-distance great Joshua Cheptegei.

“Sharing the start line with my friend and teammate Cheptegei makes it extra special,” he added.

Nicknamed ‘The Tank’ for his durability and relentless, grinding running style across varied terrain, Kamworor boasts a glittering résumé across the World Marathon Majors circuit.

His journey on the big-city stage began in Berlin in 2012, where he announced himself with a third-place finish in 2:06:12 behind Geoffrey Mutai (2:04:15) and Dennis Kimetto (2:04:16).

He returned to the German capital the following year to again place third, clocking 2:06:26 as Wilson Kipsang (2:03:23) and Eliud Kipchoge (2:04:05) led the way.

Kamworor then shifted his focus to New York, finishing second in 2015 in 2:10:48 behind Stanley Biwott (2:10:34).

It was on the streets of the Big Apple in 2017 that he finally cracked the code, claiming his maiden marathon major title in 2:10:53. He fell short in his title defence a year later, settling for third in 2:06:26, before bouncing back emphatically in 2019 to reclaim the New York crown in 2:08:13.

Kamworor heads into this year’s London Marathon buoyed by a strong 2025 campaign. He opened his season with a runner-up finish at the Barcelona Half Marathon in 58:44, before underlining his marathon credentials with a commanding win at the Rotterdam Marathon in 2:04:33.

He followed that with victory at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon in 59:51, though he endured a rare dip at the Chicago Marathon, fading to seventh place in 2:05:31.

The Kenyan, however, signed off his season on a high, storming to victory at the Madrid 10km in 27:42.

In London, Kamworor will join defending champion Sabastian Sawe and 2022 winner Amos Kipruto.