Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa made history at the 2024 London Marathon, smashing the women's-only world record with a blistering time of 2:15:50. The 28-year-old runner dominated the race, avenging her second-place finish from the previous year by surpassing Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir's 2024 record of 2:16:16.
Assefa maintained a strategic position within a four-runner lead pack before unleashing a devastating final surge. "I've worked really hard for this," she told reporters post-race, her victory marking a 26-second improvement on the previous benchmark. Kenya's Joyciline Jepkosgei claimed second place in 2:18:43, while Dutch Olympic champion Sifan Hassan finished third.
Men's Race Delivers Tactical Masterclass
Kenya's Sabastian Sawe emerged victorious from a fiercely competitive men's elite field, clocking 2:02:27 after breaking away from a nine-athlete lead group. Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo and Kenya's Alexander Mutiso Munyao completed the podium. Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge, 40, finished sixth but remained philosophical: "That's sport. I don't need to prove anything to anyone."
Wheelchair Athletes Make Their Mark
Swiss athletes dominated the wheelchair events, with Marcel Hug (1:25:25) and Catherine Debrunner (1:34:18) taking top honors in their respective categories. The results underscore London's status as a premier testing ground for endurance athletics.
