Here Are the Inexpensive Running Watches Worn by London Marathon Winners.
This weekend’s London Marathon was a phenomenal event: two men (Sabastian Sawe and Yomif Kejelca) broke the two-hour barrier, which was thought to be unbreakable. The women’s winner, Tigst Assefa, also broke her own world record. So what running watches do these elite marathoners wear? Mostly inexpensive ones, including older Garmin models.
I was able to confirm the specific watch models of some of these runners with Garmin and Coros. Since fans seem to be interested in whether the runners are sponsored by their watch companies, I also reached out to Garmin and Coros for sponsorship information. Apparently, only two of the six are sponsored. Here are the top three men and three women:
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Sabastian Sawe , who set the world record with a time of 1:59:30, wears a Garmin Forerunner 55 ($167). I confirmed this with Garmin. However, he is not sponsored by Garmin.
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Yomif Kejelca , the second person in history to run the distance in under 2 hours (1:59:41): Coros Pace 3 ($199). He is not sponsored by Coros.
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Jacob Kiplimo , 2:00:28: Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 ($349-$429 – exact model unknown, definitely not the Classic). He appears to be a sponsored athlete – here’s a Samsung article about how he uses the watch in his workouts.
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Tigst Assefa set a new women’s world record of 2:15:41: Garmin Forerunner 255 ($243). I also confirmed this with Garmin, and they are not her sponsor.
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Helen Obiri , 2:15:5: Coros Pace 4 ($249). I confirmed this with Coros; she is a sponsored athlete who signed a contract shortly before the race.
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Joyciline Jepkosgei , 2:15:55: Another older Garmin watch, which Ivan Iovine of Gadgets and Wearables identified as possibly a Forerunner 955 ($449). She is not a Garmin sponsor.
Of the six models, four are older models (released between 2021 and 2023) with reflective MIP screens . The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Coros Pace 4 are the only watches in this group released in the last year (and only they have a more modern AMOLED screen). Most of these watches are priced under $250.
This may seem surprising if you consider running watches to be cutting-edge tools where “new is always better.” But even though watch manufacturers are constantly adding new features, that doesn’t mean they’re essential for training and racing, even for elite runners. Ever since I started reviewing and writing articles about fitness watches, I ask every runner I meet what kind of watch they have. Most often, it’s older Garmin models. Sometimes they don’t even know what model it is. Simple watches are perfectly adequate workhorses, even for elite runners.
Why Elite Runners Don’t Wear High-End Watches
It’s no surprise that most of these budget options are so popular, as elite athletes need to focus on what their bodies are doing, not what their watch says. The most important job of a running watch on race day is to show how fast you’re running, especially if you’re aiming to break a certain world record. Even the most basic digital watch can tell you how much time has passed since the starting gun, but modern GPS watches can also give a fairly accurate idea of how many miles you’ve run and how far you have left to go. (However, the official race time and distance are what’s important ; your watch only gives a rough estimate.)
I haven’t personally interacted with these athletes, so what follows is my opinion based on my knowledge of what running watches can offer those who wear them. In short: everything other than time and pace is just a nice-to-have feature.
Elite athletes don’t need the training metrics and statuses that some watches offer; coaches handle that. They don’t dictate daily training programs based on step counts; again, control lies with the athletes themselves and their coaches, not the technology. It doesn’t matter if a watch has over 150 activity modes if your only goal is running.
So why do new watches even have these features? Many of them are designed to make you feel a little more elite. For example, you may not have a personal trainer, but your watch can coach you by suggesting exercise options. The watch’s features are also designed to encourage interaction—checking your progress and tracking other activities besides running—which helps watch companies increase user engagement and maintain their interest in the brand.
As I mentioned, companies are constantly adding new features to justify new models and higher prices—just look at the Garmin Forerunner 570, which has one significant improvement for athletes over the 265 (a more accurate heart rate sensor), but otherwise has received numerous additional features to justify the $200 price increase . Meanwhile, I’ve loudly stated that the Forerunner 255, which is still available new, is probably the best value Garmin device on the market .
None of the high-end features actually help me run faster, other than perhaps maintaining my interest in running as a hobby. So it’s no surprise that professional runners don’t prioritize these extra features. I may be just a casual runner, but I’m perfectly happy running with a basic watch. How much I appreciate the fancy features really depends on how much I rely on the watch to plan my training. If you don’t rely on the watch to make decisions, a basic watch is perfectly adequate.