Peres Jepchirchir wins London Marathon in world record time

Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir has won the London marathon in a new women-only world record time of two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds.

Jepchirchir, the reigning Olympic marathon champion, broke the women-only world record by 45 seconds, erasing the previous time of 2:17:01 set by fellow country woman Mary Keitany at the same course in 2017.

The 30-year-old three-time world half marathon champion avoided a clash with Ethiopia’s marathon world record holder, Tigst Assefa in the last kilometre to win and atone for her third place finish last year.

It was a thrilling sprint finish with Jepchirchir avoiding the clash with Assefa by coming on the outside to sprint in the last 500m for the second fastest time in London, shying off Paula Radcliffe’s course record time by 51 seconds.

Radcliffe holds the course record of 2:15:25 from 2003.

Assefa, the 2022 and 2023 Berlin Marathon champion, finished second in 2:16:23 as the 2021 London Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei came third in 2:16:24.

The victory by Jepchirchir, her third in the World Marathon Majors after the 2021 New York City Marathon and 2022 Boston Marathon, has just but sealed her place in the marathon team for the Paris Olympic Games.

The last 12 kilometres curved into a battle between two Kenyans and two Ethiopians--Jepchirchir/Jepkosgei versus Assefa and Alemu as the pack hit the 30km in 1:35:56 and 35km in 1:52:48.

The pack breathed on each other’s necks to cruise past the 40km mark and into the last two kilometres in 2:09:13 with Jepkosgei in the front and Jepchirchir tacked behind the pack.

Women's results

1.Peres Jepchichir (KEN) 2:16:16,

2.Tigst Assefa (ETH) 2:16:23,

3.Joycilline Jepkosgei (KEN) 2:16:24,

4.Megertu Alemu (ETH) 2:16:34,

5.Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:19:02,

6.Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:19:31,

7.Tigist Ketema (KEN) 2:23:21,

8.Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) 2:23:26,

9.Ruth Chepng’etich (KEN) 2:24:36,

10.Tsige Haileslase (ETH) 2:25:03