Men to watch at the 2020 London Marathon

Just days away, the 2020 London Marathon is the race we didn’t think we would get to see. Originally set for April as the third World Marathon Major of the year, it was postponed due to COVID-19. While the coronavirus did force organizers to ultimately cancel the mass participation race, an elite-only race was salvaged, and now the run that almost didn’t happen could be the biggest race of the year. We finally get the Eliud Kipchoge–Kenenisa Bekele matchup we’ve all been waiting for, and Canadian fans will be eager to see if Cam Levins and Tristan Woodfine, the lone Canucks in the race, can dip below the Olympic standard of 2:11:30. 

LIVE PRESS CONFERENCE | @EliudKipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele

Watch live as the two fastest marathon runners of all time get ready to go head-to-head on Sunday.#LondonMarathon #The40thRace https://t.co/Y7xVOiZHcj

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Kipchoge vs. Bekele

Kipchoge versus Bekele is the type of sporting event that everyone dreams of watching. It’s Rafael Nadal versus Roger Federer, Magic Johnson versus Larry Bird, one all-time great lining up to battle another. Kipchoge is the marathon world record-holder with an official PB of 2:01:39 (and an unofficial PB of 1:59:40), and he is arguably the best runner of all time. With a PB just two seconds shy of Kipchoge’s, Bekele is the second-fastest marathoner in history, and he, too, is arguably the best runner of all time. Both men have world records to their names, both own Olympic and world gold medals and both will be looking to beat the other on Sunday. 

RELATED: Kipchoge vs. Bekele: Who comes out on top? 

Although neither man has said he is aiming for the world record this weekend, we wouldn’t expect them to shoot for anything less. The forecast is calling for rain, which would likely hinder any chance of a world record, but if that changes and the weather turns for the better on race morning, the best time in history could be up for grabs. Regardless, the battle between Kipchoge and Bekele will likely be one for the ages, and you won’t want to miss it. 

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Attacking the Canadian record 

Levins is the Canadian marathon record-holder, a title he has owned since running 2:09:25 at the 2018 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Woodfine is 14th on the all-time Canadian list with his PB of 2:13:16, which he ran in Toronto a year after Levins’s record. While close to four minutes separate them on paper, both Levins and Woodfine will be threats to not only run under Olympic standard, but to lower the Canadian record even further.

RELATED: London Marathon women’s preview: who and how to watch

The 2019 STWM was the last marathon for both men, and they each ran the Houston Half-Marathon in January, which is the only race either has run this year. Both ran half-marathon PBs in Houston, with Levins posting a 1:02:14 and Woodfine running 1:03:33, although that day likely feels like a lifetime ago for the pair. Still, with nine months of training in the bank and no races, Levins and Woodfine will be ready to run fast times on Sunday. 

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How to watch 

The women’s race kicks the day off in London with a 2:45 a.m. ET start time. The men will get underway a few hours later at 5:15 a.m., and the wheelchair race, which will be the final event of the day, starts at 8:12 a.m. Viewers in Europe can stream the events on the BBC, and anyone in North America can pay to watch the runs on FloTrack. 

RELATED: What Eliud Kipchoge will be wearing at this weekend’s London Marathon