Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya a beat a field including world record holder Brigid Kosgei to win the London Marathon and take his second title over the distance.
The 28-year-old survived the brutal early pace to finish in two hours seventeen minutes 42 seconds and hold off Ethiopia’s of Degitu Azimeraw and Kosgei, who was fourth.
All women who finished in top ten positions ran inside the 2 hours and 25min barrier and five of those broke 2 hours and 20 minutes making it one of the fastest women’s marathons race ever.
Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma won the men’s race for the first-time with an incredible run of two hours four minutes 1 second to lead home an East African sweep of the podium places.
Kenya’s Vincent Kipchumba and Ethiopia’s Mosinet Geremew were second and third in the men’s marathon, which was without favorite Kinde Atanaw.
Atanaw, the 2019 Valencia Marathon champion and seventh-fastest in the elite men’s field,was forced to withdraw at the eleventh hour after testing positive for Covid-19.
He was one of a group of athletes and coaches who travelled to London on a private charter flight from Kenya and Ethiopia, arranged by London Marathon Events.
Women
1 Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 2:17:43
2 Degitu Azimeraw (ETH) 2:17:58
3 Ashete Bekere (ETH) 2:18:18
4 Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:18:40
5 Lonah Chemtai Salpeter (ISR) 2:18:54
6 Valary Jemeli (KEN) 2:20:35
7 Joan Chelimo Melly (KEN) 2:21:23
8 Zeineba Yimer (ETH) 2:21:40
9 Tigist Girma (ETH) 2:22:45
10 Charlotte Purdue (GBR) 2:23:26
Men
1 Sisay Lemma (ETH) 2:04:01
2 Vincent Kipchumba (KEN) 2:04:28
3 Mosinet Geremew (ETH) 2:04:41
4 Evans Chebet (KEN) 2:05:43
5 Birhanu Legese (ETH) 2:06:10
6 Shura Kitata (ETH) 2:07:51
7 Philip Sesemann (GBR) 2:12:58
8 Josh Griffiths (GBR) 2:13:39
9 Matt Leach (GBR) 2:15:31
10 Andrew Davies (GBR) 2:15:36
