Sawe cruises to victory as East Africans rule the roost in London Marathon
Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa broke the women-only record by a stunning 26 seconds as she raced clear to clinch the event in a time of 2:15:50
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe ran they second fastest time of the TCS London Marathon on Sunday clocking an impressive time of 2:02:27 and in the process trouncing Ugandan World half- marathon record holder Jacob Kiplimo who posted a time of 2:03:37 in his full marathon debut as East Africans stole the show in the English capital.
In the ladies race, Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa broke the women-only record by a stunning 26 seconds as she raced clear to clinch the event in a time of 2:15:50 in what was the World Athletics Platinum Label road race. The Olympic Silver medalist outpaced Kenya’s Joycline Jepkosgei to see the Ethiopian national clinch her first London Marathon win after finishing second to Peres Jepchirchir last year.
In the men’s meet, defending champion Alexander Mutiso Munyao of Kenya was third in a time of 2:04:20. Sawe, who is also the reigning world half marathon champion, secured his second successive marathon victory inside a space of five months, following his 2:02:05 debut win in Valencia, Spain in December last year. The only one other athlete – the late world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum who ran 2:01:25 in 2023 – has ever gone quicker in the London Marathon.
“I was very confident because I came in well prepared,” said Sawe. “That got me through today.”
His surge included a 4:18 20th mile and after a 5km split of 13:56 he reached 35km in 1:41:43 – 22 seconds ahead of Kiplimo and 37 seconds ahead of Mengesha and Kipkoech.
Untroubled, Sawe completed his solo run to the finish line, passing 40km in 1:56:03 with a 46-second advantage before breaking the tape in 2:02:27 to win by 70 seconds. He ran an impressive negative split of 60:57 after passing the half marathon mark in 61:30.
Two-time Olympic champion and four time London marathon great Eliud Kipchoge finished sixth overall in the men’s race with a time of 2:05.25. The 40-year-old Kipchoge was in philosophical mood at race finish despite not achieving a fifth London Marathon win in six attempts.
“I feel good,” smiled Kipchoge, who finished his 22nd career marathon in 2:05:25. “I’m happy. That’s the language in sport, that’s sometimes the outcome.”
Meanwhile, Agnes Ng’etich on Saturday became the first athlete to break 30 minutes in a women-only 10km, smashing through that barrier with 29:27 at the Adizero Road to Records event in Herzogenaurach. The 24-year-old Kenyan, who already held the world record for 10km in a mixed race (28:46), was in dominant form, winning by more than a minute.
Following her swift opening pace for the first two kilometers’, Ngetich settled into a 2:57/km rhythm for the next three kilometres, reaching half way in 14:37 and putting her well on course to break the world record of 30:01 held by the late Agnes Jebet Tirop. “I am so excited, I did not expect this,” she said. “Last year I missed it by two seconds, so I wanted to come here today and try for it again. I am so proud of myself. After missing out on the Olympics last year, I want to make up for it this year at the World Championships.”
Elsewhere, in Herzogenaurach, Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi produced a storming finish in the men’s mile to beat a high-quality field in a Kenyan record of 3:52.45, putting him third on the world all-time list. World road mile champion Hobbs Kessler was second in a PB of 3:54.34, just ahead of US compatriot Nico Young (3:54.).
At the same time, Nelly Chepchirchir successfully defended her title in 4:23. The Kenyan, who finished just outside of the medals in this event at the 2023 World Road Running Championships, took seven seconds off the Personal Best she set here last year.
