Kipchoge, Kosgei win London Marathon titles
A dominant Eliud Kipchoge won his fourth London Marathon, running the second-fastest race of all time to take victory, and fellow Kenyan Brigid Kosgei’s impressive performance saw her win the women’s race.
Kipchoge — who clocked a world record at the Berlin Marathon last year — powered home in a time of 2 hours, 2 minutes, 37 seconds, setting a London course record and adding to his 2015, 2016 and 2018 victories.
He had led from start to finish before making it 11 marathon wins from 12 races, further strengthening his claim as one of the greatest athletes of all time.
“It feels strange to be considered the most successful elite man in racing, it’s really good and I’m very, very happy to have won four times,” Kipchoge said.
“I know how to win this race and I was confident and didn’t feel it was in doubt at any point.”
Ethiopians Mosinet Geremew and Mule Wasihun finished in second and third, while Britain’s Sir Mo Farah was unable to keep up in the closing stages and finished a distant fifth.
Farah’s preparations were marked by a dispute with fellow distance-running great Haile Gebrselassie, but the multi-Olympic, world and European champion over 10,000 and 5,000 metres said the dispute was not a distraction during his third London Marathon.
“I didn’t think the fuss affected my run and I wasn’t distracted by the buildup,” Farah said. “It was all about London today and so I put my head down, did my best.
“I don’t regret anything I said and I respect the race.”
In the women’s race, Kosgei held off the challenge of reigning champion and compatriot Vivian Cheruiyot to win in 2:18:20.
The runner-up in 2018, Kosgei went one better by recording the second fastest second half of a marathon ever, which left Cheruiyot and three-time winner and favourite Mary Keitany trailing.
The beginning of the race had been particularly slow but when Kosgei sparked into life and broke away around the 20-mile mark Cheruiyot fought bravely to stay in contention.
But a second push from Kosgei was enough to add victory in London to her triumph in Chicago last year.
“To smash my personal best is all I could to ask for,” Kosgei said. “I always get tempted to go with the leaders, but now I run better in the second half so I held back and that worked for me.”
Cheruiyot finished in second with Roza Dereje of Ethiopia in third and Keitany in fifth.
American Dan Romanchuk won the men’s wheelchair race, with Switzerland’s Marcel Hug and Tomoki Suzuki of Japan in second and third.
The women’s wheelchair race was comfortably won by Manuela Schar of Switzerland.
Information from Reuters contributed to this report.