Stars turn out for 40th edition of showpiece as the next generation puts on a show, with Tom Webb and Isla McGowan leading the way
The TCS Mini London Marathon is always an occasion to remember but this year’s staging – the 40th edition of the event that has helped launch the careers of so many elite athletes – was particularly special.
Past winners – from Paralympic stars Hannah Cockroft and David Weir to Olympic 1500m medallist Georgia Hunter-Bell and European 1500m champion Ciara Mageean – were out in force to cheer on the next generation, start the many waves of races and pass on some valuable words of wisdom.
Since 2022, there has been a mass participation element to the showpiece but, as ever, there were British Road Running titles up for grabs at the sharp end of the fields as athletes represented either their London boroughs or British regions.
The majority of the contests over the 2.6km course that starts next to Horse Guards Parade and ends at the marathon finish line on The Mall proved to be fiercely competitive.
The under-17 winners (LM Events)
The under-17 men’s race had been highly anticipated, with Joseph Scanes and Evan Grime – first and second after a dramatic tussle at last year’s under-15 race – lining up in the older age group.
This time, however, the honours went to Tom Webb, the South West athlete coming home in 7:19 to hold off Scotland’s Alistair Street (7:20), while Scanes had to settle for third this time around with 7:23, albeit he did win the Borough Challenge for Bromley.
Like Olympic gold medallist Alex Yee, who is about to tackle his maiden marathon, Webb is a triathlete but is also the reigning English under-17 3000m champion and had unfinished business with the Mini Marathon.
“As we went round the final hairpin, it picked up,” said the Wells City athlete. “Me and two others managed to get a bit of a gap and just I managed to pip the other lads.
“I’m really chuffed. I had a good season last year and it seems like it’s only going up still. I did [the Mini Marathon] two years ago and got fourth so I was disappointed, but now we have a win!”
Katie Pye & Isla McGowan (LM Events)
Isla McGowan of the South East emerged victorious in the women’s race, having just returned from a Lanzarote training camp with her friend and rival, London’s defending Mini Marathon champion Katie Pye.
After a cross country season that had seen her finish second at the English Schools…
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