Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia redeemed her runner-up finish from last year by storming to victory at the women’s London Marathon on Sunday, setting a new world record with a time of 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 50 seconds.
The 28-year-old finished comfortably ahead of Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei, while Sifan Hassan — who had narrowly beaten Assefa for Olympic gold in Paris the previous year — claimed third place.
“I was second last year, so winning here this year is very special,” Assefa told the BBC through an interpreter. “Last year, the cold weather caused my hamstring to tighten up, but this year the conditions suited me much better and I found it a lot easier.”
From the start, Assefa, Jepkosgei, and Hassan set a blistering pace, dominating the race. Hassan, who had gained 10 kilograms during a four-month break after her Paris victory, initially struggled to keep up. At one point, she dropped around 20 meters behind the lead group, which was on track for a time around 2 hours and 12 minutes — a full minute faster than Hassan’s personal best.
Although Hassan briefly rejoined the leaders, she soon fell back again as Assefa, Jepkosgei, and the final pacemaker pulled ahead. By the halfway point at Tower Bridge, Hassan trailed the front two but stayed within sight, hoping that a tactical hesitation — similar to what helped her win in 2023 — might unfold.
However, this time, there were no mistakes up front. After the pacemaker dropped out, Assefa and Jepkosgei continued to push the pace, while Hassan’s stride became less fluid, and the gap widened.
At the 30-kilometer mark, Hassan was over a minute behind, while Assefa and Jepkosgei traded turns setting the pace. Hassan held onto a strong third place, receiving cheers from the recreational runners farther along the course.
Shortly after passing the two-hour mark, Assefa made her decisive move, pulling away from Jepkosgei. By the 40-kilometer mark, she had opened a commanding lead of nearly a minute over the tiring Kenyan, sealing a dominant and historic win.
