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Jepkosgei second in London Marathon; Ethiopia's Assefa wins in record time
Kenya's Joyciline Jepkosgei celebrates after finishing second in the women's elite race at the London Marathon on April 27, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Assefa shattered the women-only record of 2:16:16 held by Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir from her victory in London last year.
- Jepkosgei, the winner in 2021, came second in 2:18:43 as Sifan Hassan, the 2023 champion, settled for third place in 2:18:59.
Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa dropped Kenya’s Joycline Jepkosgei after 35 kilometres to claim her maiden London Marathon title in a women-only world record time on Sunday in the British capital city.
Assefa, who finished second in the London and Paris Olympics Marathon last year, clocked two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds for her third World Marathon Majors victory, having triumphed in Berlin Marathon in 2022 and in 2023.
Assefa shattered the women-only record of 2:16:16 held by Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir from her victory in London last year.
Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa holds up her Adidas shoe with her world record time on it after winning the women's elite race at the London Marathon on April 27, 2025.
Jepkosgei, the winner in 2021, came second in 2:18:43 as Sifan Hassan, the 2023 champion, settled for third place in 2:18:59.
It's at the 2023 Berlin Marathon where the 28-year-old Assefa set a new marathon world record in 2:11:53.
Kenya’s Ruth Chepng’etich shattered the world record with victory in Chicago last year in 2:09:56.
Jepkosgei, the 2021 champion and 2022 silver medallist, led the pack of four that included Hassan, who is also the Olympic champion, through 5km in 15:34 minutes.
Assefa, who lost in the London and Paris Marathon last year, took charge at 10km in 31:16 minutes but Jepkosgei took the initiative through 15km in 47:11 with a projected finish in 2:12.
Netherlands' Sifan Hassan, Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa, Britain's Phily Bowden, Kenya's Joyciline Jepkosgei and Vivian Cheruiyot in action during the women's elite race at the London Marathon on April 27, 2025
However, Alemu Megertu of Ethiopia dropped from the pack leaving it a three-horse race up front but Hassan dropped like 30m off the pace before re-joining the fray.
Assefa and Jepkosgei went toe-to-toe over the Tower Bridge and at halfway mark in 1:06:40 with Hassan 10 seconds (70m) off the pace with one pacesetter Reline Cathrine Amanang’ole staying with them.
Jepkosgei and Assefa turned on the screws cruising through 25km in 1:19:14 as Hassan fell further 26 seconds off the pace with the pacesetter giving way.
Upped the tempo
Kenya’s other representative Vivian Cheruiyot, the winner in 2018 coming three minutes and 41 seconds off the leaders in position six.
Jepkosgei and Assefa hit 30kms in 1:35:33 as Hassan sank one minute and 10 seconds away with a predicted winning time of 2:14:23.
The pace slowed considerably with the early past pace taking toll on the two leaders as Hassan struggled. Jepkosgei and Assefa hit the 35km mark in 1:52:12 as Hassan trailed for two minutes and three seconds.
Then Assefa upped the tempo to win in London after finishing second last year.
