Romanchuk and Schär headline wheelchair field at 2020 London Marathon
Defending champions Daniel Romanchuk and Manuela Schär lead the wheelchair fields for the historic elite-only races at the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday 4 October.
Photo: Daniel Romanchuck (left) and Manuela Schär (right)
Daniel Romanchuk (USA) won the Boston, Virgin Money London, Bank of America Chicago and TCS New York marathons last year on his way to winning the Abbott World Marathon Majors Series XII title.
The only man to get the better of Romanchuk in the past 18 months is Marcel Hug (SUI) who beat the 22-year-old American at the 2019 Tokyo Marathon. Hug, a two-time Virgin Money London Marathon winner and the reigning BMW Berlin Marathon champion, will also be racing in London, as will eight-time London Marathon champion David Weir (GBR), who will be taking part in the event for the 21st time.
Also in the men’s field are the 2020 Tokyo Marathon champion Sho Watanabe (JAP) and the 2010 London Marathon champion Josh Cassidy (CAN).
In the women’s field, Manuela Schär (SUI) will be looking to continue an incredible run of success. The 35-year-old, who is the world record holder, is the owner of one of the greatest winning streaks in sport, winning nine Abbott World Marathon Major races in a row before missing the 2020 Tokyo Marathon in March.
Meanwhile, two-time London Marathon champion, British record holder and 2012 Paralympic silver medallist Shelly Woods makes her first return to the event in four years following the birth of her son, Leo.
Hugh Brasher, Event Director of the Virgin Money London Marathon, said:
"This is an incredible line-up for what will be a unique Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday 4 October. Wheelchair racing on a closed-loop course around St James’s Park is an amazing spectacle and with the very best athletes on the planet coming to London to compete, it promises to be one we will never forget."
View full elite wheelchair fields.
The wheelchair races, along with an elite men’s and women’s race, will be held in a secure biosphere as has been the case with other major sporting events such as Test Cricket and Formula 1. There will be no spectator access to maintain the biosphere but BBC Sport plans to broadcast eight hours of coverage during the day.
(Please note: access to most of St James’s Park will be maintained for local residents and park users.)
It will be the 40th race in London Marathon history and the first which to have elite-only races.
The schedule of races on Sunday 4 October will be as follows:
07:15 – Elite women’s race
10:15 – Elite men’s race
13:10 – Elite Wheelchair races
Everyone now has the chance to take part in the 40th race by running the famous 26.2 mile marathon distance from home or anywhere in the world on the course of their choice. All finishers will receive the coveted finisher medal and New Balance finisher T-shirt.
