The longest game of cat and mouse in the 43-year history of the London Marathon finally came to an end on the Mall on Sunday, as Peres Jepchirchir sprinted clear of three rivals to claim the women’s-only world record.
The Olympic champion’s time of 2hr 16min 16sec was also quick enough to surpass Mary Keitany’s record from 2017, which applies to races where women are not paced by men, by 51 seconds.
In truth, though, it was no surprise to see Keitany’s time fall given how loaded this field was. By far the biggest shock was the result itself – with Tigst Assefa, who smashed the overall women’s world record when she ran 2:11:38 last year, only able to finish in second, seven seconds back.
“I am so happy for the victory,” said Jepchirchir afterwards. “I was not expecting to run a world record – I knew it might be beaten but I did not expect it to be me as I knew the history and the ladies were strong. But I’ve come good today and set a personal best.”
When the women set out at 9:25 a.m., the temperature was an unusually low 7 degrees Celsius, so much so that Jepchirchir was able to keep warm by wearing a black hat. However, his initial pace was red hot, as he completed the first three miles faster than Assefa’s world record.
But things started to stabilize long before the pacesetter was dropped just after half-time.
At this point the race became a race rather than a time trial and things started to slip again. It wasn’t that Jepchirchir was complaining. She knew it would give her an advantage for the finishing kick.
After miles, the shadow strategy continues, with the four women in the lead, Jepchirchir, Assefa, 2021 winner Jocelyn Jepkosgei, and last year’s runner-up Megertu Alem, unable to continue. I didn’t want it. However, the race quickly ended when Jepchirchir applied the pressure with 600 meters to go.
“My powerful finishing kick is very useful,” she said. “Once you reach 800 meters, it’s hard to lose. I think it’s because it rained last year. It was windy so we waited until 600 meters.
She also knows that with this performance she can defend her Olympic title in Paris. “I know it won’t be easy, but I’m confident heading into the summer,” she said.
Elsewhere, Marcel Hug won the men’s wheelchair race for a record fourth consecutive time, and Britain’s David Weir finished third in his 25th consecutive London Marathon. In the women’s wheelchair race, fellow Swiss woman Catherine DeBrunner won by a wide margin, finishing more than five minutes ahead of her closest competitor.