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≡ LONDON MARATHON ≡
Beyond the prize money for the top 10 places, the bonus structure for the 45th London Marathon had extra money for course record and world-record performances. For the women, who started a half-hour ahead of the men – at 9:05 a.m. – that meant the women-only best of 2:16:16 by Tokyo Olympic champ Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) from the 2024 London Marathon.
Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa, the 2024 Olympic silver medalist and former (mixed race) world-record holder was happy to take advantage, running away from the field to win in 2:15:50.
The women’s race was a breakaway almost from the start, as four stars crossed the 5 km (3.1 miles) in 15:34, 50 seconds up on the rest of the field: 2021 London winner Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN), Assefa, 2023 London runner-up Megertu Alemu (ETH) and Olympic champ Sifan Hassan (NED).
By 20 km (12.4M), Assefa and Jepkosgei had broken free and they passed the halfway mark in a sizzling 1:06:40, 10 seconds up on Hassan. The margin was 26 seconds by 25 km (15.5M) and 1:10 by 30 km (18.6M).
Past 35 km (21.7M), Assefa surged and broke away, running alone to the finish in 2:15:50, smashing Jepchirchir’s 2:16:16 women-only record from 2024 and the world leader in 2025. It’s the second-fastest time in London Marathon history, behind only British legend Paula Radcliffe’s 2:15:25 mixed-race, then-world record from 2003. All-time, it’s the no. 10 performance in history and Assefa, 28, now has three of the 10.
In her career, Assefa has run six marathons and after a seventh in her debut in Riyadh (KSA) in 2022, she won Berlin twice, was second in London last year, won the Olympic silver and now won London in 2025. That’s five straight races in major marathons, finishing first or second.
Jepkosgei was an easy second in 2:18:44, Hassan was third in 2:19:00 and Haven Hailu Desse (ETH) ran 2:19:17 for fourth; they were the only ones to break 2:20. Britain’s Eilish McColgan, the 2022 European 10,000 m winner made her debut in the marathon a good one, in eighth in 2:24:25.
Susanna Sullivan was the top American, in 10th, matching her finish in this race from 2023, in 2:29:30.
Assefa’s victory and time were worth $55,000 for the win, $125,000 for the women’s-only world mark, $25,000 for the women-only course and another $100,000 for a sub-2:16 performance, or $305,000 in all.
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Yes, there was a men’s race, with a front pack of 12 passing 5 km in 14:25, shaved down to 10 by the 10 km mark (28:57) and moving through the half in 1:01:30. The stars – two-time Olympic champ Eliud Kipchoge (KEN), Paris Olympic champ Tamirat Tola (ETH) and half-marathon world-record holder Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) – making his marathon debut – were all in the group.
Nine were still running together by the 30 km mark when Kenyan Sabastian Sawe, who debuted last December in Valencia (ESP) with a 2:02:05 (!) win, powered away and only Kiplimo could try and stay with him.
By 35 km (21.7M), Sawe was all alone with a 22-second lead on Kiplimo, who was 15 seconds up on everyone else. At the finish, Sawe won his second career marathon in as many races at 2:02:27, the 2025 world leader and second-fastest London Marathon ever, worth $55,000 plus a $100,000 bonus for a sub-2:03 finish.
Kiplimo, in his debut, was an impressive second, in 2:03:37, now equal-29th all-time, worth $30,000 for place and another $50,000 for running under 2:04.
Behind him was defending champion Alexander Mutiso (KEN) and Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Abdi Nageeye (NED), both in 2:04:20, then Tola in fifth in 2:04:42.
Kipchoge finished sixth in 2:05:25 – at age 40! – his best performance since his Berlin Marathon win in September 2023.
Paris Olympic triathlon winner Alex Yee (GBR) made a noteworthy debut as well, finishing 14th in 2:11:08; Kevin Salvano was the top American, in 18th in 2:13:03.
Placement prize money was available to the top 12: $55,000-30,000-22,500-15,000-10,000-7,500-5,000-4,000-3,000-2,000-1,500-1,000, a total of $156,500 per gender.
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