Equal prize money for wheelchair and able-bodied races at London Marathon
THE London Marathon will be the first marathon in the world to offer equal prize money for wheelchair and able-bodied races.
An increase of US$54,500 (£43,000) has taken the wheelchair prize fund to US$308,000 (£243,000), matching that for ablebodied athletes.
All winners in the elite races of this year’s London Marathon will receive US$55,000 (£43,500).
The 2024 London Marathon takes place on Sunday, 21 April.
The London Marathon wheelchair races, won by Switzerland’s five-time champion Marcel Hug and Australia’s Madison de Rozario last year, were already the richest in the world.
London Marathon event director Hugh Brasher said: “We are delighted to continue our commitment to disability sport with this landmark move that ensures the prize money available to our elite wheelchair athletes is the same as for those in the able-bodied elite races.
“We have made great strides in recent years towards our ambition to make the London Marathon the most diverse and equitable marathon in the world, and this is another important step towards achieving that goal.”
In the men’s race, British wheelchair racing legend David Weir, the most decorated athlete in the event’s history with a total of eight wins, is due to compete in his 25th consecutive London Marathon.
The 44-year-old, fifth last year, said, “It’s a very exciting year for me and wheelchair racing. Again, the London Marathon has set the bar for parity across the racing divisions.
“This is a huge benchmark for disability sport, and I hope other races and sporting bodies can take note.”
In the men’s race, Hug will seek his fourth straight win in London, with competition coming from other leading names, including American Daniel Romanchuk and Dutchman Jetze Plat.
The past four winners of the women’s race will all return in 2024 as reigning champion De Rozario comes up against Switzerland’s Catherine Debrunner, Manuela Schar, and Nikita den Boer of the Netherlands.
They are joined by Eden Rainbow-Cooper, (22), who was the first Briton home in seventh place last year following a third-place finish in 2022. The men’s and women’s able-bodied elite fields will be announced on Monday.