Sun Apr 27 12:58:00 UTC 2025: **London Marathon: Assefa Sets World Record, Sawe Claims First Major Victory**
LONDON — Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa smashed the women’s-only world record at the 45th London Marathon, finishing in a stunning 2:15:50. The 28-year-old, a silver medalist at the Paris Olympics, outpaced Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei in the final kilometers, attributing her success to the favorable weather conditions. Jepkosgei finished second in 2:18:44, while Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, the reigning Olympic champion, came in third.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe secured his first major marathon victory with a tactical masterclass. The 29-year-old, making a name for himself after a December win in Valencia, pulled away from the leading pack with approximately 10 kilometers remaining, ultimately crossing the finish line in 2:02:27. Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo took second in his marathon debut, and last year’s winner, Alexander Mutiso Munyao of Kenya, finished third in a photo finish.
A record 56,000 runners participated in the race, which included notable debuts from Britain’s Alex Yee (14th in his marathon debut) and Eilish McColgan (8th, setting a Scottish record of 2:24:25). In the wheelchair races, Marcel Hug of Switzerland secured his sixth London Marathon title, while Catherine Debrunner claimed her third women’s title.
First Piper 