The 2026 London Marathon raised a record £87.5 million for charity, making it the largest single-day fundraising event of its kind so far this year. Organizers said the total had already exceeded £87.3 million last year, and the final figure is expected to exceed £90 million when confirmed later this year, the BBC reported. The race, which was held in London last Sunday, also witnessed outstanding performance on the track. Kenyan runner Sebastian Sawi made history when he became the first athlete to officially complete a marathon in under two hours, finishing the race in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds. In the women’s race, Ethiopian Tegist Assefa set a new world record for women only with a time of two hours, 15 minutes and 41 seconds. The event also achieved a milestone in participation, with 59,830 runners crossing the finish line – the highest number ever recorded in a marathon. Hugh Brasher, CEO of the London Marathon Events Foundation, described the day as exceptional. “It was an extraordinary day of world records, from the elite men and women going through such extraordinary times, to the participation numbers, and now in fundraising,” he said. He added that the amount of support from competitors and donors pushed the event to new heights. “It is great to know that we have already surpassed the world record of £87.3 million from 2025,” he said. “A huge thank you to everyone who fundraised, and to everyone who donated to such a wide range of charities.” The final fundraising total will be officially confirmed in September.
