London Marathon 2026: Jess Warner Judd grateful for ‘second chance’ after epilepsy diagnosis

Jess Warner Judd doesn’t remember much about that night in Rome.

It’s been a long and difficult journey since then, but the 31-year-old speaks with admirable ease about the traumatic events that led her to take part in the London Marathon for the first time in 2026.

“I’m very lucky to have a second chance at running. It’s a second chance I probably didn’t think I’d have,” Warner Judd told BBC Sport.

“I remember having some really scary arguments after trying to restart the track season, and it didn’t happen right away. The wonderful doctors told me before I started therapy that if I kept trying, I would probably have to retire because my body wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

The harrowing details of what happened at the Stadio Olimpico are vividly remembered by Warner Judd’s husband Rob, who witnessed it all from the stands along with his father and coach Mike in June 2024.

It was less than 10 months after Warner Judd celebrated one of his proudest achievements, placing eighth in the world in the 10,000 metres, but it became clear early in the European Championships final that something was wrong.

Noticeable lack of coordination. He veers into the second and third lanes. The distress on his face was becoming more and more obvious.

“It got to the point after five or six kilometers when Mike and I got as close to the track as we could and we were yelling at him to stop,” says Rob.

Warner Judd struggled until he collapsed with 600 meters remaining.