London Marathon 2024: Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir sprints to women's-only world record as Alexander Mutiso Munyao takes men's win
Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir sprinted clear in the closing stages to take the women's elite race at the London Marathon on Sunday (21 April), live on Olympic Channel.
She won in 2:16:16, breaking Mary Keitany's women's only record of 2:17:01 set at the 2017 London Marathon by 45 seconds.
Tigst Assefa, the fastest woman in history after her win in Berlin last September, was seven seconds back in second with 2021 winner Joyciline Jepkosgei third.
Olympic silver medallist Brigid Kosgei was the biggest name to lose touch with the leaders as six women moved clear just after halfway through the 42.195km race distance.
Tigist Ketema and 2022 winner Yalemzeft Yehualaw then cracked to leave just four in the front group: Jepchirchir, Assefa, Jepkosgei and last year's runner-up Megertu Alemu.
The four remained together until the final kilometre when Alemu was left behind as the pace increased. And despite being hampered by Assefa as she tried to attack, Jepchirchir then showed the acceleration which had won her three half-marathon world titles.
A devastating finishing sprint made it six wins out of seven for the Kenyan whose only marathon defeat came in last year's race where track star Sifan Hassan took victory on debut.
Jepchirchir said afterwards, "I’m feeling grateful. I’m so happy. I was not expecting that. I knew that we were going to break the record but I was not expecting it to be me. When I was at 40km, I said, ‘Let’s relax. And then 41km I would accelerate or wait until 600m.’
“It means a lot to me because last year I was expecting to win. Unfortunately, I didn’t win but I was happy too. This year I’m so so happy.”
There was another reason for Jepchirchir’s joy at the finish line as her win almost certainly secured her a spot at the Olympic Games.
“This is the last event for Kenya to select the team. When I crossed the line, I knew that I was going to defend my title in Paris," she exclaimed.
Alexander Mutiso Munyao takes men's win from Kenenisa Bekele
Alexander Mutiso Munyao denied 41-year-old Kenenisa Bekele what would have been a popular triumph in the men’s race.
The 27-year-old Kenyan and the Ethiopian legend moved clear together inside the final 10km.
Bekele looked strong, but had to settle for second as Munyao kicked away with just over 2km to go to take victory in 2:04:01.
Ethiopia’s 2022 world champion Tamirat Tola was one of several runners to fade badly after being dropped by the front two. Home runner Emile Cairess moved through to take third, over two minutes behind the lead pair, with another Briton, Mahamed Mahamed, in fourth.
Earlier, Marcel Hug claimed his fourth consecutive men's wheelchair victory, and his sixth in total, ahead of Daniel Romanchuk and David Weir.
Catherine Debrunner was six minutes clear of the field in the women's race with fellow Swiss Manuela Schäer taking second from Tatyana McFadden.