David Picksley: 2023 London Marathon oldest athlete

Picksley was a runner in his youth and ran marathons into his 50s and 60s.

In Summary

• The youngest runner is 18-year-old Lana Dales, who celebrated her 18th birthday on Saturday.

• I feel very excited. To get around that course again will be wonderful. I ran my first marathon in 1982-Picksley.

90-year old David Picksley is the oldest marathon athlete in the 2023 London race.
90-year old David Picksley is the oldest marathon athlete in the 2023 London race.
Image: /BBC

The oldest participant in this year's London Marathon is 90-year-old David Picksley.

Picksley was a runner in his youth and ran marathons into his 50s and 60s.

The youngest runner is 18-year-old Lana Dales, who celebrated her 18th birthday on Saturday.

Picksley, running the marathon for Cancer UK aged 90 said: "I feel very excited. To get around that course again will be wonderful. I ran my first marathon in 1982.

"We finished on Westminster Bridge in 1985, when I did London for the first time, so it is looking a little different but it will be a great day.

"I never thought I would still be here in 2023. I gave up at the age of 64 but I told myself that if I'm still running at 70, I'll do another marathon!"

Meanwhile, Birgid Kosgei, world marathon record holder limped off in the women's race barely three minutes in what looked like an injury.

The 2021 Olympics silver medalist revealed on Friday that she was wary of a nagging hamstring injury.