London Marathon: Sabastian Sawe wins men’s race as Tigst Assefa sets world record

A phenomenal effort from Alex Yee today, who finished 14th in the men’s elite race less than a year after winning Olympic gold in the triathlon.

Alex Yee crosses the finish line on The Mall (John Walton/PA Wire)

Alex Yee reacts at the finish line (Getty Images)

Lawrence Ostlere27 April 2025 13:58

It was a Swiss double in the wheelchair events, with Marcel Hug racing to his sixth London marathon title in 1:25:25 and Catherine Debrunner winning her third women’s title in four years in 1:34:18, missing her own world record by two seconds.

Lawrence Ostlere27 April 2025 13:32

Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the London Marathon on Sunday for his biggest career victory after making a solo breakaway with about 10km left.

Sawe pulled away from a leading group of nine runners about 90 minutes into the race and finished in 2 hours, 2 minutes and 27 seconds.

Sawe made his move when his rivals slowed down at a drinks station — opting not to take any water despite warm temperatures.

Jacob Kiplimo, the half marathon world record holder who was making his full marathon debut, was the only runner able to give chase but could never get close to erasing the gap. The Ugandan finished about 70 seconds back in second place.

Sawe’s only previous marathon win came in Valencia in 2024.

He is the fourth Kenyan runner in a row to win the men’s race in London.

Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe crosses the finish line to win (Action Images via Reuters)

Lawrence Ostlere27 April 2025 13:05

Eilish McColgan, the 10,000m gold medallist at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, was eighth in her belated debut marathon in a Scottish record time of 2:24:25.

And she was not the only British woman in the top 10, which also included ninth-placed Rose Harvey in 2:25:01, but her compatriot Charlotte Purdue could not finish after pulling up with a calf issue.

Lawrence Ostlere27 April 2025 12:47

Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s-only world record in winning the 45th London Marathon on Sunday, pulling away from Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya over the final couple of kilometres after the two had set a blistering early pace.

The 28-year-old Assefa, silver medallist in the event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, crossed the finish line in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds, beating the previous women’s-only record of 2:16:16 set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.

Jepkosgei, 31, finished second in 2:18.44.

The sizzling early pace was too much for reigning Olympic marathon champion and 2024 London winner Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, who fell back off the leaders around the halfway mark en route to finishing third in 2:19.00.

Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa reacts to finishing first in the women’s race of the London Marathon and breaking the women’s-only world record (EPA)

It looks like Alex Yee, Britain’s Olympic triathlon champion, has finished inside the top 15, which is an extraordinary achievement in his first marathon.

Yee collapses in a heap over the line, not unlike his reaction to winning gold in Paris last summer.

He was the second British athlete home after Mahamed Mahamed finished ninth.

The great Eliud Kipchoge comes through in fifth place.

Lawrence Ostlere27 April 2025 11:42

Sebastian Sawe crushes the field! A field let’s not forget that includes the great Eliud Kipchoge. He raises two hands to the sky in celebration. What a performance.

The winning time was 2hr 2min 27sec.

Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe crosses the finish line to win (Action Images via Reuters)

Lawrence Ostlere27 April 2025 11:39

Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe is on the verge of the biggest moment of his career. The 29-year-old stormed to the Valencia Marathon last year but this will be greater still. He’s out on his own with just a couple of kilometres to go…

Lawrence Ostlere27 April 2025 11:35

And here is Eilish McColgan approaching the line, finishing eighth and setting a Scottish marathon record in the process. A great effort.