Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw wins the 2022 women's London Marathon

Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw overcame a fall to win her first Marathon Majors at the 2022 London Marathon on Sunday, October 2.

The 23-year-old won in a personal best time of 2:17:26 beating the defending champion Joycline Jepkosgei (Kenya) to second (2:28:07) with another Ethiopian Alemu Mergetu rounding off the top three in 2:18:32.

Yehualaw appeared to stumble on a speed bump about ten kilometres from the finish line but recovered quickly to bring home the biggest win of her career. Her time was the third fastest ever run by a woman at the London marathon.

With world record holder and two-time London winner Brigid Kosgei absent due to a hamstring injury, a leading pack of seven women pulled away at about the halfway mark. Ethiopia's Ashete Bekere was in front at that point.

Then the unthinkable happened and Yehualaw fell just as the field passed the 32km mark. But the fastest woman in the field got up and impressively caught up with the leading runners.

The race took shape as they approached the final 5km. It was down to two Kenyans Jepkosgei and Judith Korir and Yehualaw and Mergetu. But Yehualaw was not to be denied today running emphatically towards the finish.

She became the fastest ever women's marathon debutant at the 2022 Hamburg Marathon where she clocked 2:17:23.

Earlier this year, the rising star already set a world record for 10k in Valencia when she recorded a time of 29:14.

"I am so happy to win the race,” said the women’s winner who came close to lowering the 'women’s only' world record of 2:17:01 set by Mary Keitany at the 2017 London Marathon.

Yalemzerf Yehualaw takes 2022 women's London Marathon - results:

1. Yalemzerf Yehualaw 2:17:25

2. Joyciline Jepkosgei 2:18:07

3. Alemu Megertu 2:18:32

4. Judith Korir 2:18:43

5. Joan Chelimo Melly 2:19:27

6. Ashete Bekere 2:19:30

7. Mary Ngugi 2:20:22

8. Sutume Asefa Kebede 2:20:44