Assefa and Hassan, the #2 and #3 fastest women in history, clashed in the final 400m in Paris when Hassan tried for a late inside pass. Expect another tight finish in London on Sunday.

It's a wild weekend for distance fans. In Tokyo, LRC's top two men's marathoners of 2024, Benson Kipruto and Deresa Geleta, take on 5k/10k WR holder Joshua Cheptegei. Plus there are Team USA spots for the World Half on the line in Atlanta where five male Olympians will seek 3 spots and the last BU meet of the year is on Sunday as well. And it's conference championship weekend at the NCAA level where 25 sub-4 milers will compete at the Big 10 meet.

Hassan and fellow Olympic champ Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia are the first names announced for the 2025 TCS London Marathon field. Hassan shared her thoughts with LetsRun about why it's okay to lose, whether she is the distance GOAT, Ruth Chepngetich's world record, and more. *MB: Hassan, who will run London, on Chepngetich's 2:09:56 WR: "I don’t care how [Ruth] did it, it just showed me it is possible."

Conner Mantz and Clayton Young remain inseperable, Hellen Obiri chases a three-peat, and Eliud Kipchoge's quest to win every major appears to be dead. *MB: 2025 Boston Marathon field is out - Hellen Obiri & Sisay Lemma lead along with Americans Mantz, Young & Popehn. No Kipchoge.

Conner Mantz (6th, 2:09:00) set an American course record in New York while CJ Albertson (10th) ran 2:10:57 just 21 days after running 2:08:17 in Chicago.

• Official 2024 New York City Marathon Discussion Thread
• Conner Mantz delivers once again
• Who saw this coming? Sara Vaughn first American in New York!
• I expected more from Tola and Obiri
• Anyone else Sickened Seeing Rupp & Rowbury Now Commentators?

How to watch the 2024 NYC Marathon. Coverage is 8-11:30 am eastern on ESPN2 with pro women's race starting at 8:35am eastern.

Gemedu Dedefo, the coach of the previous world record holder Tigist Assefa, reminded LRC that he predicted a sub-2:10 was coming last year and thinks women are capable of running even faster: "in my mind, they can go near to 2:08." That being siad, he admitted there was one thing that was "strange" about the record.

Dakotah Popehn (formerly Lindwurm), Jessica McClain, and Aliphine Tuliamuk lead the US field. *Official 2024 New York City Marathon Discussion Thread.

Tola, Olympic silver medalist Bashir Abdi, 2022 NYC champ Evans Chebet, plus Americans Conner Mantz, Clayton Young, and CJ Albertson should make for a great race on Sunday.

Chepngetich went out in 64:16 for the half -- the #5 half marathon time ever -- and came back in 65:40 to take almost two minutes off Tigst Assefa's 2:11:53 world record from last year.

No man has won Chicago in his debut since 2003 but Worlds 10k silver medalist Ebenyo could end that drought. Panning ran great at the Trials through 20 miles while Albertson has been crushing workouts again in his buildup.

Hassan set an Olympic record of 2:22:55 just 37 hours after earning bronze in the 10,000. Hellen Obiri took bronze as Dakotah Lindwurm was top American in 12th (2:26:44).

Oh baby, we can't wait for this one. Kipchoge vs Bekele on an epic course as he seeks a historic 3-peat. Plus how will the field handle one of the toughest courses in professional marathoning history and could the runners be running sub-4 pace after mile 19 as it's so downhill?

2022 London champ Amos Kipruto (2:03:13) and 2023 Berlin runner-up Vincent Ngetich (2:03:13) lead the somewhat shallow men's field where Daniel Ebenyo will debut while Tokyo champ Sutume Kebede (2:15:55) is the women's headliner.

WA told LetsRun: "Following a thorough analysis of athletes intending to participate in more than one event -- it was determined that the quota would allow for some additional athletes to participate in the marathon."

Twenty years after his first Olympic gold and 12 years after his last Olympic appearance, Bekele will return to face Eliud Kipchoge on the sport's biggest stage in Paris.

Eliud Kipchoge will go for unprecedented third straight gold. Brigid Kosgei was stunningly given the final women's spot over Sharon Lokedi.

Bekele hasn't appeared in the Olympics since 2012 but he is the only Ethiopian to have broken 2:05:00 in both 2023 and 2024.

Peres Jepchirchir is back and showed her chances of back-to-back Olympic golds are very real, while Emile Cairess (2:06:46) is now the second-fastest Brit ever.

• Official 2024 London Marathon Discussion Thread
• Bekele has still got it 2:04:15 for 2nd!
• "Bekele has never won London"

Evans Chebet says he's ready to run at the Olympics if Kenya names him to the team, plus updates from Emma Bates, CJ Albertson, & Jenny Simpson.