The last finishers to cross the line were met by enthusiastic supporters
People continued finishing throughout the day(Image: Kennedy News and Pictures)
The indomitable spirit of every participant at the 2026 TCS London Marathon shone brightest last night, as the final participants to complete the gruelling 26.2-mile course were met with an electrifying hero’s welcome usually reserved for the day’s first finishers.
The celebration was the culmination of a powerful community effort designed to ensure no participant’s incredible achievement went uncelebrated. With only 1% of the world’s population ever completing a marathon, Official Energy Bar Partner, CLIF Bar believes in supporting, fuelling, and, crucially, celebrating every single participant.
A dedicated CLIF Bar Support Team stayed with the final participants on the course, providing encouragement and vital motivation through the final miles. These efforts were amplified at the finish line by enthusiastic volunteers from both CLIF Bar’s community and the Team Finish Together group, whose collective spirit offered unwavering support and a true hero’s welcome every step of the way.
Aman Puri came home in just under 12 hours(Image: Kennedy News and Pictures)
The atmosphere at the late finish line at St James’ Park, open for finishers after 19:30, was electric. Guided by the glow of a CLIF-red illuminated track, the final participants were met by a jubilant crowd, ensuring their incredible feat was met with the same hero’s welcome given to those who finished first. The final 10 participants also crossed through the official finish line ribbon – the very same one broken by the elite athletes.
Amongst those celebrating their monumental achievement were Hannah Gavios, Taiwo Fabusiwa and Luke Escreet.
Nearly ten years after surviving a traumatic 150-ft fall from a cliff whilst fleeing from an attacker in Thailand that left her with a life-changing spinal cord injury, Hannah completed her first TCS London Marathon on crutches.
A psychotherapist from the New York City borough of Queens, the 33-year-old took up marathon participation after her injury to prove that her disability would not stop her achieving her ambitions. London marked her first marathon outside of New York and was a deeply personal challenge.
Through pain and perseverance, she inspired others living with spinal cord injuries to believe anything is possible. “There’s always a way,” she said. “Anything you set your mind to, you can accomplish.”
Clair Roberts was the final finisher on the day(Image: Kennedy News and Pictures)
By also completing her first TCS London Marathon, Taiwo turned a long-held dream into reality with the support of four participants pushing her wheelchair. Living with cerebral palsy, Taiwo, a business administration apprentice from Croydon, took on the marathon to show others with disabilities what is possible.
Inspired to enter after encouragement from her colleague, The 26-year-old said the crowd’s energy carried her through and that she was incredibly grateful for the brilliant support she received by the wonderful people watching. “If I can do it, you can,” she said after finishing. “Get support around you and just do it, it is a wonderful thing to be a part of.”
Luke ran in memory of his nan, Lynne, while raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support. From Rotherham, the 37-year-old had completed several half marathons before taking on his first full marathon as both a personal mission and tribute.
Driven by grief, training and crowd support, he pushed through “the wall” at mile 20 to reach the finish. The marathon honoured the charity that supported his nan during her cancer treatment and marked a deeply emotional achievement. “As long as you get over that finish line, that’s the goal,” he said. “It’s just amazing to see what everyone has achieved.”
Bianca Harvey, Marketing Director, CLIF, said: “For us, the ‘true endurance champions’ are often the final finishers. CLIF Bar was born on a 175-mile bike ride, so we have a deep, personal understanding of what it takes to dig deep and persevere. Our purpose isn’t just to fuel a race, but to fuel that incredible human spirit of triumph and personal accomplishment. That’s why we are immensely proud to champion these participants and celebrate their monumental achievement at this year’s TCS London Marathon finish line.”
Shreena Kotecha from Team Finish Together, said: “Witnessing the sheer joy and emotion on the faces of these participants as they crossed the line, knowing they had an entire community cheering them on, was truly inspiring. It’s powerful to see them being celebrated as the endurance champions they are and it reminds us that the marathon is about more than just speed; it’s about courage, community, and achieving something extraordinary together.”
The celebration will now continue beyond the event, as the final finisher is set to take centre stage on digital billboards across London and in CLIF Bar’s social content.
