Eilish set for marathon bow in London with Scottish medals on offer

Friday 25th April 2025

Eilish McColgan will make her marathon debut at the TCS London Marathon on Sunday.

The 34-year-old has admitted herself an appearance over the iconic distance has been a long time coming after four Olympic appearances on the track.

Scottish Championship medals are up for grabs through the field with medals for individuals and for clubs (to be confirmed later next week once results have been processed).

It is also the British Marathon Champs with the top three to be recognised for a podium moment by UK Athletics.

Eilish, Weynay Ghebresilasie, the Shettleston Harriers athlete who has sponsorship support from our kit partners Joma, and Luke Caldwell look favourites for the Scottish titles.

GB ultra international, Dougie Selman, and his wife Jenny – who raced 800m for Scotland at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games – are headed south, too, with that being a marathon debut for Fife AC’s Jenny.

Among others who could be in contention are Max Milarvie, Charlie Sandison and Eddie Narbett while the women’s division features the likes of Brogan Wallace and Sarah Potter.

Scottish Marathon Road Championships

Jenny Selman at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham (photo by Bobby Gavin)

Adrian Stott interviews Jenny Selman

There are also shares on offer in our Road Race Grand Prix series which pays out £4000 to Senior athletes after the five events are concluded.

The target times for the Marathon Champs are:

Men:

A Standard – Sub 2:20.00. B Standard – Sub 2:24.00

Women

A Standard – Sub 2:44.00. B Standard – Sub 2:48.00

Adding further to the cast-list for Sunday, Samantha Kinghorn is taking on the marathon distance, too. Quite an effort given the Red Star AC athlete is Paralympic champion for 100m!

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Eilish and the Mini Marathon

As we explored on the website a couple of weeks ago (with thanks to Alex Jackson), Eilish’s first experience of this weekend’s showpiece events came fully 22 years ago when she competed in the London Mini Marathon.

This year’s Women Elite race field looks to have softened somewhere following the withdrawals of World record holder Ruth Chepngetich and defending champion Peres Jepchirchir.

Kenya’s Chepngetich, 30, became the first woman to clock a sub-two hour 10 minute time at the 2024 Chicago marathon but said she was not ready for Sunday. Fellow Kenyan Jepchirchir, who won last year in London in a record time of two hours 16 minutes 16 seconds, will miss the race with an ankle injury.

Eilish herself had to pull out of the 2023 event with an injury and acknowledged she is heading into the unknown.

‘It’s a new challenge, but it is a natural progression,’ she told BBC Sport.

‘It has taken me a bit longer than normal. It is just the way my career has pathed out, there is not much I can do about that. I have absolutely loved my track career and this new chapter on the road is in the early stages.

‘It is like you are doing a new sport really. Everyone has to start somewhere and 26 miles is difficult for everyone when you first do it.’