Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya broke the women’s only world record and won the London Marathon with 2:16:16. He improved his previous record by 45 seconds on the 42.195 kilometer distance that was open until the last hundred meters.
An incredibly strong field of women came together for this year’s London Marathon, and the favorites had an undisclosed goal of setting a world record. At last year’s Berlin Marathon, Tigst Assefa set the standard very high with a time of 2 hours 11 minutes 53 seconds, and although the Ethiopian was also among the starters, they did not aim for this peak. In the marathon, there is also a world record for women, which male sprinters do not help to achieve. This type of top was held by Kenyan Mary Keitany, who ran 2:17:01 in London in 2019.
Looking at the start list, there was little chance that this record would be maintained. Three of the four fastest female marathoners started. Alongside Assefa, former world record holder Brigid Kosgei, Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir, former London winners such as Yalemzerf Yehualaw and Joyciline Jepkosgei, and two-time Chicago champion Ruth Chepngetich started, but a good result could be expected from the world Tigist Ketema, running his best marathon debut time, finished with 2:16:07 at the Dubai Marathon in January. The strength of the field and the rapid technical development of supershoes almost guaranteed that the women’s only world record would be broken. Of course, the winner of the battle of the stars promised more excitement than that. Chief organizer Hugh Basher believed that it will be more difficult to win in London than in the summer Olympics in Paris.
The run went as promised, the first 21.1 kilometers was completed by the first runner in 1:07:04, all of which foreshadowed a time within 2:15, which put the track record of 2:15:25 in jeopardy. At that time, seven people were in the lead, among the favorites, Chepngetich broke away, he was about 100 meters behind. Approaching thirty kilometers, the pace proved to be strong for the former world record holder, Kosgei, and he also fell behind. With this, he probably lost the chance to start at the Olympics, you can only get into the very strong Kenyan national team with an outstanding result.
Peres Jepchirchir i broke the all-female marathon world record in the London race – Photo: Matthew Childs / Reuters
By thirty-five kilometers there were only four left, Jepkosgei took on dictating the pace, Assefa, Jepchirchir and Megertu Alemu followed him like shadows. The pace slowed down a bit, but they still had a one-minute advantage over the previous record. They also reached the fortieth kilometer together, the closing two kilometers projected a very fast pace. On paper, Assefa had the best chance, since he started his career as an 800-meter runner, but Jepchirchir overdid his calculations. The Kenyan Olympic champion opened a long hairline, to which the Ethiopian could not react, for a while it even seemed that Jepkosgei was ahead of him, but he was finally able to repel his attack, which earned him second place.
Jepchirchir stayed fresh to the end and was able to carry his hair all the way, winning the London Marathon in 2:16:16, cutting 45 seconds off the previous world record. Assefa finished second with 2:16:23, beating Jepkosgei by one second.
In the men’s competition, they could not apply for great heights, as Kelvin Kiptum, who died recently in a car accident, set the bar very high last year. He won the race in London with 2:01:25. The field could go for a time of 2:03 or 2:04. The biggest contender was the Ethiopian Tamirat Tola, who won the New York Marathon last year with a course record. Apart from him, the Kenyan Alexander Mutiso and the Ethiopian Leul Gebresilase were also among the favorites, but perhaps most people were curious about the icon of long-distance running, Kenenisa Bekele.
London Marathon men’s podium finishers Emile Cairesse, Alexander Mutiso and Kenenisa Bekele – Photo: Justin Tallis / AFP
The 41-year-old runner has competed in marathons many times, but at the same time he has also achieved amazing results. Now, getting into the Olympic team was the biggest bet for him, which he could secure if he was the best Ethiopian in the field and, if possible, won. Bekele hid in the field for 30 kilometers, but when the last sprinter got out, he assumed the lead. With the change of pace, he broke off some runners, and at 35 kilometers only he and Mutiso remained in the lead. Approaching forty, the Kenyan added another shovel, which was already too much for Bekele. Mutiso also looked tired at the end, but his first place was not in danger, he won with 2:04:01, beating the Ethiopian by 14 seconds. To a small surprise, a Briton came in third place, Emile Cairess, with a personal best of 2:06:46, also ran at the Olympic level.
