Running News Daily

Two Chilean athletes, Tomás and Nicolás, are chasing a remarkable piece of marathon history as they attempt to complete all seven Abbott World Marathon Majors races in a single calendar year.

Their ambitious journey began with a clear objective: to race the world’s biggest marathon stages throughout 2026 and become the first athletes from Chile to complete an Abbott World Marathon Majors Slam.

Their challenge has taken them across continents, following the prestigious Major circuit from one iconic city to another. Each race has brought a different course, atmosphere and test of endurance, but the ultimate goal has remained unchanged — reaching the finish line of every Major in the same year.

The journey is demanding not only because of the physical challenge of racing seven world-class marathons, but also because of the travel, recovery and preparation required between events. Moving from one international marathon to another leaves little room for error, making consistency and resilience just as important as speed.

For Tomás and Nicolás, every starting line represents another step towards a milestone that would carry special significance for Chilean distance running. Their campaign has turned the marathon calendar into a year-long adventure, with each race adding another chapter to a story that could ultimately end in the heart of New York City.

With the series now approaching its final stages, Tomás and Nicolás are closing in on a destination that could complete their extraordinary journey: Central Park in New York City, where the 2026 New York City Marathon will be held on November 2.

They are not alone in the pursuit. Fifty-three athletes are currently on course for an Abbott Slam in 2026, creating an intriguing race against time as the remaining Majors determine who will ultimately complete the demanding seven-race challenge.

Before New York, however, the athletes still have another major chapter to write in Chicago, where the Bank of America Chicago Marathon will provide the next opportunity to keep their dreams alive.

For Tomás and Nicolás, this is about more than collecting marathon medals. It is a journey representing Chile on some of the most prestigious stages in global distance running — with the possibility of ending the year as the first Chileans to accomplish something truly historic.

Chicago is next. New York awaits. And the dream of a Chilean Abbott Slam is getting closer to reality.

Ethiopian marathon star Tigst Assefa has delivered a powerful message from her hospital bed after undergoing successful surgery on a completely ruptured right Achilles tendon suffered during her extraordinary victory at the 2026 BMW Berlin Marathon.

The 29-year-old produced one of the most remarkable performances of her career, winning the women’s race in 2:11:04 and setting a new Berlin Marathon course record. Her performance became even more extraordinary after it emerged that she suffered the serious injury during the closing stages of the race.

At around the 40-kilometre mark, Assefa developed a problem with her right leg, with her stride visibly affected as she approached the finish. Despite the severe discomfort, the Ethiopian refused to abandon the race.

She fought through the final kilometres and crossed the finish line to secure another memorable Berlin victory, before receiving immediate medical attention. Medical examinations later confirmed a complete rupture of her right Achilles tendon.

Assefa was subsequently taken for treatment in Germany and underwent successful surgery at a hospital south of Munich. She now faces the challenging rehabilitation process required to return to elite competition.

In her first message since the operation, Assefa expressed her heartfelt gratitude to supporters around the world who have sent messages of encouragement and concern.

She thanked the global running community for standing beside her during the difficult period, saying she was deeply moved by the tremendous support she had received.

But the most striking part of her message was her determination to look beyond the injury and towards the future.

“I will definitely return to Berlin, and then I will break the world record,” Assefa said.

The declaration underlines the extraordinary ambition that has defined her marathon career. Berlin has played a particularly important role in her rise to the top of the sport.

Assefa first won the Berlin Marathon in 2022 before producing a historic performance the following year, when she ran 2:11:53 to establish a then-world record.

Although the women's marathon world record has since been lowered to 2:09:56, Assefa remains one of the most formidable marathoners in history. Her latest 2:11:04 victory also stands as the fastest women's performance ever recorded on the Berlin Marathon course.

Her latest triumph therefore carries a remarkable mixture of achievement and adversity. She not only secured the victory and course record but did so while suffering an injury that ultimately required surgery.

Now, a different race begins for the Ethiopian superstar — one that will demand patience, rehabilitation and resilience rather than simply speed and endurance.

Whether she can return to her best remains a question for the future, but Assefa's message has already made her intentions unmistakably clear.

Berlin may have witnessed her latest triumph, but Tigst Assefa believes her unfinished business with the German capital has only just begun.

The Olympic flame is preparing for a journey unlike any it has made before. 

For the first time in Olympic history, the flame heading to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games will travel through all 50 U.S. states, bringing one of the Games’ most enduring traditions directly into communities across the country.

The historic American chapter will begin in Atlanta, Georgia, the host city of the 1996 Olympic Games and the last U.S. city to stage a Summer Olympics. Thirty-two years after the Atlanta flame was extinguished, the Olympic flame will return to the city to begin its extraordinary journey toward Los Angeles.

Before reaching American soil, the flame will be ceremonially lit in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games. From there, it will make its way to the United States before beginning a nationwide relay in spring 2028. The complete route is expected to be announced in 2027.

50 STATES. ONE FLAME. ONE JOURNEY. 

From Hawaii to North Dakota and from South Dakota to California, the relay is being designed to showcase communities, landmarks, cultural celebrations and major events across the United States.

LA28 says the relay will be one of the largest in Olympic history, with the flame passing through iconic locations and bringing celebrations to selected cities along the way. The journey is intended to give people across the country an opportunity to experience the Olympic spirit before the Games officially begin in Los Angeles.

The public will also have an opportunity to become part of the history. LA28 has confirmed that members of the general public will be eligible to be nominated as torchbearers, although further details about the nomination process will be announced later.

The full route remains under development, meaning the landmarks, cities and communities that will welcome the flame are still to be revealed. What is already certain, however, is the scale of the journey: every U.S. state will have a place in the Olympic Torch Relay for the first time.

THE OLYMPIC STORY WILL CONTINUE

The flame's journey will not be the only torch relay connected with LA28.

Following the conclusion of the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Torch Relay will begin in August 2028. Its flame will originate in Stoke Mandeville, United Kingdom, the birthplace of the Paralympic Movement, before continuing its own journey toward Los Angeles. The starting point of the U.S. portion of that relay will be announced at a later date.

The LA28 Paralympic Games are scheduled for 15–27 August 2028, marking Los Angeles' first time hosting the Paralympic Games.

For LA28, the Olympic flame will therefore become more than a symbol carried toward an opening ceremony. It will become a moving connection between communities separated by thousands of miles, linking America's Olympic past in Atlanta with its Olympic future in Los Angeles.

One flame. Fifty states. Millions of people. One extraordinary road to LA28. 

The TCS London Marathon is preparing to make history in 2027, with the world-famous race set to become a two-day event for the first time.

The landmark edition will take place on Saturday, April 24, and Sunday, April 25, 2027, bringing together an unprecedented 100,000 participants across the weekend in a one-off expansion of one of the world's most prestigious marathons.

Known as the 2027 Double TCS London Marathon, the historic weekend will give thousands more runners the opportunity to experience the legendary course from Greenwich to Westminster, while elite athletes and mass participants share the spotlight across two days.

The decision to introduce the two-day format follows extraordinary demand for places. More than 1.33 million people entered the ballot for the 2027 marathon, underlining the enormous global appeal of the London Marathon.

DOUBLE BILL! 

For the first time in the event's history, the elite programme will be spread across two days, creating a unique weekend of world-class marathon racing.

SATURDAY, APRIL 24

1. Elite Men's Wheelchair

2. Elite Men

3. Men's Championships and Good For Age

Saturday will put the spotlight on the men's competition, with the elite men's wheelchair race and elite men's marathon forming the centrepiece of the opening day. Men's Championship and Good For Age runners will also take to the iconic London course.

SUNDAY, APRIL 25

1. Elite Women's Wheelchair

2. Elite Women

3. Women's Championships and Good For Age

Sunday will then belong to the women's field, with the elite women's wheelchair and elite women's marathon races followed by the Women's Championships and Good For Age categories.

The two-day arrangement will create a completely different atmosphere around the London Marathon, allowing the world's leading athletes and thousands of amateur runners to share the spotlight across an extraordinary weekend.

A Marathon Weekend Like No Other

Despite the expanded format, the event will retain the character that has made the London Marathon one of the world's most recognisable road races.

Runners will once again take on the iconic route through the streets of the British capital, beginning in the Greenwich area before making their way towards the famous finish in central London.

The 2027 edition will also provide an enormous platform for spectators, charities, volunteers and running communities from across the globe to become part of a historic occasion.

More Than Just A Race

The 2027 Double is expected to become much more than a marathon. It will be a huge celebration of running, charity and London communities, bringing together recreational runners, elite athletes, volunteers, spectators and supporters from around the world.

The London Marathon has long been recognised as one of the world's major fundraising events, and the expanded 2027 edition is expected to create even greater opportunities for charities and community organisations to raise money.

Organisers have projected that the 2027 Double could generate more than £150 million for good causes, while also delivering a significant economic and social contribution to the United Kingdom.

The wider celebrations will also include the TCS Mini London Marathon, ensuring that young runners have their own opportunity to be part of this historic weekend.

One Historic Weekend, One Iconic Race

Although the 2027 edition will look very different from previous London Marathons, the two-day format is planned as a one-off change for 2027.

With 100,000 participants, two days of elite competition and a mass field representing runners from around the world, the 2027 TCS London Marathon is set to become one of the most extraordinary editions in the event's history.

From world-class wheelchair athletes and elite marathoners to Championship competitors, Good For Age runners and thousands of recreational participants, London will become the centre of the global running world for one unforgettable weekend.

Elizabeth Laseter has once again conquered the beer mile, capturing her fourth consecutive Beer Mile World Classic title in a breathtaking women’s final in Cologne, Germany.

The American food writer clocked 5:56.1 at the 12th Beer Mile World Classic on September 18, holding off world-record holder Shelby Houlihan by just 0.8 seconds in the closest women’s finish in championship history.

The final brought together three of the biggest names in women’s beer-mile racing for the first time: Houlihan, the world-record holder; Laseter, the three-time defending champion; and Melanie Pozdol, renowned as the sport’s fastest chugger.

What followed was a race for the ages.

Laseter had built a small advantage alongside Pozdol by the third beer, widely regarded as one of the most difficult stages of the beer mile. But Houlihan refused to let the race slip away.

The world-record holder produced a ferocious closing lap, running the final circuit in around 59 seconds, and suddenly all three women were level heading into the final bend.

From there, it became a three-way sprint for the world title.

Laseter found the extra strength when it mattered most, crossing the line first in 5:56.1 to secure her fourth straight championship. Houlihan followed in 5:56.9, while Pozdol completed the podium in 5:57.9, setting a personal best and moving to third on the all-time list.

The margin between the three was just 1.8 seconds.

It was a landmark moment for the discipline. Before Cologne, only two women had ever broken the six-minute barrier in the beer mile. Now, three have done it — in the same race.

Laseter’s victory also saw her lower her own Beer Mile World Classic championship record, adding another achievement to an already remarkable run of dominance.

Houlihan, however, remains the outright women’s beer mile world-record holder with her spectacular 5:43.81 run in Berlin in 2023.

And Laseter’s celebration provided the perfect ending to an unforgettable night. At the finish line, she marked her fourth world title with a shoey, pouring beer into her running shoe and drinking from it as the celebrations began.

The men’s race produced another remarkable achievement, with Corey Bellemore extending his dominance by winning his sixth consecutive Beer Mile World Classic title.

But Cologne belonged to Laseter and a women’s final that pushed the boundaries of the discipline.

Three women under six minutes. Just 1.8 seconds separating them. A championship record. A fourth consecutive world title. And a finish that came down to the final few metres.

Elizabeth Laseter did not simply defend her crown — she turned the 2026 Beer Mile World Classic into another chapter of her own remarkable story, proving once again that when the race reaches its most unforgiving moment, she knows exactly how to find that final ounce of strength. Four beers, four laps, four straight world titles — and a shoe full of beer to celebrate it all. 

The streets of Chicago are set for another spectacular marathon showdown, with Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo leading a world-class men’s field at the 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 11.

Kiplimo returns to the Windy City as the defending champion and arrives with one of the most impressive marathon resumes in the world. He has a 2:00:28 personal best, making him one of the fastest marathoners in history and a major name to watch whenever the pace turns exceptionally quick.

The current world record stands at an astonishing 1:59:30, set by Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe in London in April 2026. Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha also broke the two-hour barrier in the same race with 1:59:41, while Kiplimo finished third in 2:00:28.

That means Kiplimo would need another significant improvement in Chicago to challenge the world record, but his performances this year have shown that he belongs among the select group capable of pushing marathon running towards unprecedented territory.

The Ugandan will face a formidable challenge from Kenya’s Amos Kipruto, who has a 2:01:39 personal best. Ethiopia’s Milkesa Mengesha follows with 2:03:17, while Kenya’s Daniel Mateiko has run 2:03:44. Ethiopia’s Asrar Hiyrden and Kenya’s Alex Masai are also among the leading contenders, with personal bests of 2:03:59 and 2:04:37 respectively.

There is also a major American-record storyline in Chicago. Charles Hicks, who owns a 2:04:35 personal best, headlines the American contingent alongside Clayton Young, Vincent Mauri, Galen Rupp and Abbabiya Simbassa.

The American record currently stands at 2:04:43, set by Conner Mantz at the 2025 Chicago Marathon. Hicks therefore arrives with a personal best already faster than that mark, adding another intriguing subplot to an exceptionally deep field.

The depth of the field means Kiplimo is unlikely to have a quiet day once the pace begins to build. Kipruto brings considerable marathon experience, while Mengesha, Mateiko, Hiyrden and the other leading contenders have the credentials to remain in contention deep into the race. With Chicago known for producing fast times, the battle could become a fascinating test of pace, positioning and finishing strength.

For Kiplimo, the race represents another opportunity to strengthen his credentials over the marathon. The Ugandan has already demonstrated remarkable speed and endurance across different distances, and Chicago could provide another stage for him to test just how close he can get to the sport’s ultimate barrier.

With several elite athletes capable of running at extraordinary speeds, fans can expect the 2026 edition to deliver plenty of drama from the opening kilometres to the famous finish on Columbus Drive.

World record? American record? Or another unforgettable Chicago finish? The answers will come on October 11.