London Marathon 2025: Tigst Assefa Breaks Women’s Record; Alexander Mutiso Sawe Wins Men’s Title

Tigst Assefa wins London Marathon 2025, Sebastian Sawe victory

Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia set the world record for a women’s only field by winning the London Marathon, and Sebastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s event.

With ten kilometers remaining, Olympic silver medallist Assefa launched herself ahead of Kenyan 2021 winner Joyciline Jepkosgei, who finished in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.

Assefa’s time was 26 seconds faster than the previous record, which was established in London last year by Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir.

Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, the 2023 winner and Olympic champion, came in third place, about three minutes behind Jepkosgei.

Sawe, a rookie in the men’s race, surged ahead with just over 10 kilometers (6.21 miles) left, and his competitors couldn’t keep up. The Kenyan finished in 2:02:27.

On his full marathon debut, 2024 champion Alexander Mutiso Munyao finished third, while Ugandan half marathon world record holder Jacob Kiplimo was more than a minute behind in second place.

Alex Yee, the Olympic triathlon winner, came in at number 14, while Mahamed Mahamed of Great Britain came in ninth.

In her first marathon, Eilish McColgan established a Scottish marathon record time of 2:24:25, surpassing Steph Twell’s mark of 2:26:40 set in Frankfurt in 2019. This performance made McColgan the top Briton in the women’s division.

In eighth place, the Commonwealth 10,000-meter champion placed one spot ahead of Rose Harvey.

The wheelchair races saw a Swiss double for the second year in a row as Marcel Hug swept to his seventh victory in the men’s division while Catherine Debrunner smashed her own track record in the women’s division.

London Marathon: Elite women’s race results

Tigst Assefa (Eth) – 2:15:50
Joyciline Jepkosgei (Ken) – 2:18:43
Sifan Hassan (Ned) – 2:18:59

London Marathon: Elite men’s race results

Sabastian Sawe (Ken) – 2:02:27
Jacob Kiplimo (Uga) – 2:03:37
Alexander Mutiso Munyao (Ken) – 2:04:20

Hassan and Assefa, the gold and silver medallists in Paris last summer, were advertised as facing off again in a highly anticipated women’s event.

Early on, the two were in the lead group, but by the 20-kilometer (12.5-mile) point, Hassan was five seconds behind Assefa and Jepkosgei, who were keeping up a steady pace.

Assefa, the former world record holder, kicked for the finish line, and after being tied with Jepkosgei at 35 kilometers (just under 22 miles), she was 56 seconds ahead at 40 kilometers and maintained that lead by the finish line.

“I won second here last year so to win this year is very special. I am really, very happy,” Assefa told BBC One.

“Last year I did have some problems with the cold and my hamstring tightened up towards the end. This year the weather suited me better.

“I am really pleased with how the race went.”

It was said that the men’s elite race field was the best ever in London, and after 30 kilometers (18.64 miles), there were still nine competitors in the lead group.

Just after the 31-kilometer (19.26-mile) mark, Sawe made his move, and despite the presence of Olympic champion Tamirat Tola, Kiplimo, Mutiso, and four-time winner Eliud Kipchoge, none of them could match him.

In the end, the Kenyan crossed the finish line a minute and ten seconds ahead of his closest rivals.

“I am so happy. This is my fastest time for the London Marathon,” he told BBC One.

“I was well prepared for this race and that is why it is an honour for me to have won.”