Peres Jepchirchir sets women’s-only world record in brilliant London Marathon win

Reigning Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir crushed the women’s-only world record in winning the 44th London Marathon on Sunday, while Kenyan compatriot Alexander Mutiso Munyao pulled away from Ethiopian distance great Kenenisa Bekele to win the men’s race.

The 30-year-old Jepchirchir crossed the finish line in front of Buckingham Palace in  2hrs 16mins 16secs, beating Tigst Assefa and Joyciline Jepkosgei to break Mary Keitany’s mark of 2hrs 17mins 01secs set in a women-only race at this event in 2017.

Jepchirchir pulled away from a group of four in a sprint finish before collapsing to her knees in tears having beaten the fastest field of women ever assembled.

“I thought the race would be fast and that the record would go, but I was not expecting it to be me,” the Kenyan said.

“It’s because I believe in myself. As I crossed the finish line, I thought about how grateful I am for this to be my last event representing Kenya before I head to Paris [Olympics]. I now know I have a great chance to defend my title in Paris.”

Munyao, 27, who was pushed by Bekele until the final couple of kilometres, won the men’s race in 2hrs 04mins 01secs pumping his fist several times en route to the biggest victory of his career.

“I’m happy for winning the race today and at 40 kilometres I got some pressure from Kenenisa Bekele but I had a lot of confidence because I trained for this race,” Munyao said. “So I said: let me be confident.

“After 40 kilometres, I thought I had energy enough to win today’s marathon.”

Britain’s Emile Cairess took third in 2hrs 06 mins 46secs, all but clinching his spot on Britain’s Olympic team.

“It pretty much means I am selected, I am in the team.” Cairess said. “It was a risk [to race] but it paid off.”

Peres Jepchirchir makes history – as it happened

01:31 PM BST

Don’t forget to warm down and stretch!

01:20 PM BST

Humanity at its best

01:19 PM BST

Peres Jepchirchir talks to BBC Sport - ‘I didn’t expect to break the record’

On the win and the women’s-only world record...

On making it to the Olympics...

01:05 PM BST

A reminder of the women’s result and the new women’s-only world record

01:02 PM BST

Run like the wind

Just shy of the halfway mark, Tower Bridge.

01:00 PM BST

Some of the quicker non-elite runners

Have just 1km to go. Phew...

12:53 PM BST

Dave and Isabella are running for the Samaritans

Dave runs every year dressed as a telephone. The charity is close to his heart having called the Samaritans when having suicidal thoughts in the late 1980s. Last year his brother took his own life and so Dave and his daughter, Isabella, are running in memory of him. Just one of 1,000s of affecting, moving stories that are as much part of this event as Jepchirchir’s women’s-only world record.

The BBC have posted this number for you to call if you are experiencing similar problems 0800 066 066. Lines are open 24 hours a day and calls are free.

12:46 PM BST

The men’s top three

12:39 PM BST

Harry Judd is McFlying around the course

The McFly musician is doing interviews with the BBC while he’s running and looks as though he’s going OK through 28 kms. Though as he tells Gabby Logan he’s about to enter the part of the race where it’s all mental. “If you put the training in the first half feels quite easy, but then it starts to hurt.” He’s a useful cricketer, I think, and this isn’t his first marathon and he’s on course for a decent time. Judd is running for The Children’s Trust.

12:28 PM BST

The elite have finished

But there are still some 50,000 runners still out there, all with there own inspirational stories. Right now, I imagine, they are entering a world of pain, but raising a load of money for charities personal to them in the process. These are the stories that make today really matter.

12:19 PM BST

The official men’s results

1. Alexander Mutiso Munyao (Ken) - 2hrs 4mins 1sec

2. Kenenisa Bekele (Eth) -2hrs 4mins 15 seconds

3. Emile Cairess (GB) - 2hrs 6mins 46secs

4. Mahamed Mahamed (GB) - 2hrs 7mins 5secs

12:07 PM BST

Now the battle for third

It’s between two Britons Emile Cairess and Mahamed Mahamed.

Cairess wins it and finishes off the podium, both of them however, post PBs and register the second and third fastest times by Britons.

12:04 PM BST

Munyao wins the men’s race

The break on the Embankment proved to be the decisive one. He wins in a time of 2hrs 4mins 1sec, beating Bekele by about 14 seconds.

12:02 PM BST

Emile Cairess is in third

And Mahamed Mahamed, his fellow Briton, is fourth. They’ve past some big names such as Tola, who went off too fast at the start (some did just stop, however...). Remarkable.

The home hopes have got stronger and stronger as the race has gone one. There’s a gap of about 30 seconds between them.

12:00 PM BST

Munyao extends his lead

He’s past Big Ben so only 1,200 metres to go. Bekele is guaranteed second.

11:57 AM BST

Munyao makes a break

The Kenyan leaves the all-time great Bekele on the Embankment and it looks as though it will be the decisive break. With about two kms to go he has a lead of about 30 metres.

11:56 AM BST

Mhairi Maclennan is first British women to cross the line

She wanted to go under two and half hours and she does exactly that finishe in 2hrs 29mins 13secs. It’s her first marathon, bravo!

11:53 AM BST

Youth vs experience in men’s race

11:51 AM BST

Battle of the Britons

In the men’s race Mohamed Mohamed is only about 50 seconds behind Emile Cairess who is outside Mo Farah’s British record but should be inside the Olympic qualifying time.

11:49 AM BST

It’s Bekele vs Munyao

They’re approaching the Embankment so about five kms to go.

11:45 AM BST

Meanwhile in the men’s race

It’s now a two-horse race. Bekele the track great is leading with Munyao second. They dropped Tola about four minutes ago.

11:43 AM BST

Jepchirchir wins!

In a new women’s-only world record in 2hrs 16mins 16secs!

Assefa is second and Jepkosgei is third. Alemu finishes in fourth.

11:41 AM BST

Jepchirchir makes a break 400 metres out

The Olympic champion has daylight between her and Assefa.

11:40 AM BST

Sprint finish in the women’s race

All four of Assefa, Jepkosgei, Jepchirchir and Alemu are all together with about 500 metres go to.

11:37 AM BST

They’ve just gone past Big Ben

And still they’re all together with about 1,200 metres to go...

11:36 AM BST

Still nothing separates

The leading four women. The predicted time is still just inside the course record and women’s-only record.

Assefa, the favourite, hasn’t been in this position before.

11:33 AM BST

So close in the women’s race

Imagine having to do a sprint finish after 26 miles...that’s what it’s going to come down to and it’s still anyone’s race between Assefa, Jepkosgei, Jepchirchir and Alemu. Squeaky bum time...

11:30 AM BST

The women aren’t thinking about the record

They’ve slowed and are in a race at the moment, the leading quartet of Assefa, Jepkosgei, Jepchirchir and Alemu are only thinking about the win rather than the record.

No sign of cracking just yet as they going in the Blackfriers underpass. Big Ben will soon come into view.

11:29 AM BST

Bekele makes a move in the men’s race

The leading pack has been stretched all of a sudden. Tola is trying to hang on to Bekele.

11:28 AM BST

It become a race

In the women’s event, everyone seemingly waiting for a rival to make a move. If they want that women’s-only world record and course record they may need to get a move on.

11:25 AM BST

The women are now approaching the Embankment

It’s now cat and mouse between the leading four of Assefa, Jepkosgei, Jepchirchir and Alemu. Five kms to go.

11:23 AM BST

Emile Cairess

Is outside of Mo Farah’s British record, but inside the Olympic time.

11:20 AM BST

Jepchirchir makes a move...

...after a water station. It’s a little tester, a surge, asking the question. It’s one the other three women Assefa, Jepkosgei and Alemu answer with ease as they soon reel her in.

They are still well in the women’s-only world record, through 35 km in 1hr 52mins 48secs.

11:14 AM BST

Only one pacer left in the men’s race

All the main contenders are still in the leading pack. Bekele looks the calmest and most serene of the lot. Mengesha lead through 25 km in 1hr 12min 45 secs. Tola was second and Atanaw third. Wonder when, if, the break will come? Who’ll make the decisive move?

11:10 AM BST

Women’s race down to four contenders

The leading group is down to four now. It’s a high-quality quartet consisting of Assefa, Jepkosgei, Jepchirchir and Alemu.

There’s a problem with a wheelchair athlete and they have to swerve the stationary chair.

11:07 AM BST

David Weir: ‘Conditions were so tough’

The veteran British athlete David Weir, who came third in the men’s wheelchair has just spoken to the media.

Asked if he planned to be at the Paralympics in the summer, he replied:

11:04 AM BST

Bananas have made it to Cutty Sark

So still about 20 miles to go. The TV pictures are showing a lot of happy faces, I am sure that will all change the further the charity runners get along the course.

11:01 AM BST

The men are through 20km

So nearly at the halfway mark. Tola leads the front pack having gone through 20 km in 58:20. All the main men are there.

10:57 AM BST

Bad news for Cairess

He’s lost one of his pacemakers, important he he tries to break Mo Farah’s British record of 2hr 5mins 111 secs.

10:55 AM BST

The Hardest Geezer

is off for a little jog (for him...). Having run the length of Africa Russ Cook is tackling the streets of London today.

10:53 AM BST

The women are though 17 miles

Assefa still looking strong.

10:50 AM BST

All the main contenders...

...are still in the leading pack in the men’s race. Through 15km Gobena was first in 43:41, Tura, Bekele, Chahdi just behind him.

10:47 AM BST

Kosgei dropped from the leading group

In the women’s race the former world record holder is finding the pace too much and is now 50 metres or so back. Assefa leads (1hr 19 mins 38 secs for 25 km) with Jepchircher, Ketema, Alemu and Jepkosgei for company.

The pace has now dropped a bit, they’ve just run a 5:15 mile, one of the slowest when not into a head wind.

10:44 AM BST

Catherine Debrunner wins the women’s wheelchair race

She was out in front almost from the start. She has dominated this race and wins with ease in 1hr 38min 53secs. She must be one of the red-hot favourites for gold in Paris this summer.

That’s a Swiss double in the wheelchair races.

10:35 AM BST

Marcel Hug wins the men’s wheelchair race

He’s the world’s best and wins this in a time of 1hr 28 mins 33 secs. It’s his fifth win and he crosses the line untroubled by his rivals. Second, some 35 seconds or so later is Romanchuk.

David Weir is third in his 25th London Marathon, not the result he would have wanted but in this field mightily impressive.

10:33 AM BST

Everyone is now out on the roads

10:31 AM BST

Elite men are going past Cutty Sark

It’s a steady pace for them. It’s 6.5 mile mark and they’ve gone through in just over 30 minutes. Tola led through 10k in 29.03, Wolde was second and Mengesha third. Bekel is in the lead group.

10:29 AM BST

Women’s race still well inside...

...the women’s-only world record. That mark is 2hr 17min 1 sec, set in London my Mark Keitany in 2017. They’re looking at 2:14 at the moment. Assefa and Kosgei are prominent. They’ve gone through 20km in 1hr 3 min 35 secs.

10:26 AM BST

Weir 45 seconds behind Hug

It looks as though the Swiss has made the decisive move in the men’s wheelchair race.

10:24 AM BST

In the men’s race

There’s a leading group of around 14, one of the pacemakers is dropping back. All the main contenders are still up there.

10:23 AM BST

Cairess inside Farah’s record time so far

10:21 AM BST

In the women’s race

One of the three pacemakers has dropped off. But it’s still a quick race, they’re 53 minutes (15 kms) in now and Assefa is on the shoulder of one of the pacemakers, with Kosgei, her main rival, next to her.

10:17 AM BST

Hug makes a break

They’ve gone through the 30km mark, so seven miles to go. He’s now got a gap of around 100 metres to Romanchuk.

10:14 AM BST

Parity

10:14 AM BST

Parity

10:09 AM BST

In the men’s wheelchair race

There are still four in the leading pack.  Weir, Suzuki, Hug, and Romanchuk. It’s very tactical race, it won’t be a quick time and with Weir’s sprint finish expect Hug to possibly make a move in the coming miles. They currently on the Isle of Dogs.

In the women’s race Debrunner is three minutes clear and on for the victory.

10:06 AM BST

In the women’s race

They are going at some lick. They’re looking good for a 2.12 time, it will likely slow down but the record is under threat.

Assefa leads the pack, for company she has Kosgei, Chepengetich, Jepchirdhir, Jepkosgei and Yehualaw.

It’s quite windy out there so expect some to drop out that leading pack.

10:04 AM BST

Palestine flags

10:03 AM BST

Relaxed runners

10:00 AM BST

The elite men are under way

Tamirat Tola is the favourite, but watch out for Bekele.

The British runners Marc Scott, Calum Hawkins and Emile Cairess are off for the British with the latter looking to Break Mo Farah’s record.

09:57 AM BST

Kelvin Kiptum tribute

Last year’s winner in a course record time died in a car crash in February.

Before the start the runners remember the world record holder with a minute’s applause.

Kenenisa Bekele, the Ethiopian long-distance legend, says Kiptum will always hold a place in the hearts of marathon runners.

“Kelvin of course, all of us miss him,” Bekele said. “Even within his short time, he has been setting an amazing history.

“The course record is also under his name and we are all remembering him.

“We put him in a special place in our heart because in a really within a short time he has done a lot for our sport.”

09:51 AM BST

Ten minutes away from the start of the elite men’s race

And the other 49,000 runners...good luck to everyone.

09:48 AM BST

Catherine Debrunner

Is still clear in the women’s wheelchair race and looks good for the win.

The men’s race is more interesting because Weir and Suzuki have joined the early leading pair of Marcel Hug and Daniel Romanchuk. As I type they are going across Tower Bridge, so approaching the half-way mark.

09:45 AM BST

Emile Cairess looking for Olympic qualifying mark

The Briton was sixth on his London debut last year, producing the best finish among the home runners and also recording a third-fastest British men’s time.

The men’s qualification standard is time two hours eight minutes and 8.04 seconds. Cairess ran a 2:08:07 last year so the mark for Paris is doable for him.

09:34 AM BST

Wheelchair races

It’s Marcel Hug in front with Daniel Romanchuk for company. David Weir has been dropped and is in third along with Japan’s Suzuki, those two need to work together.

In the women’s race Switzerland’s Catherine Debrunner has pulled clear in the women’s wheelchair race. She’s reeling in some of the slower male runners.

09:30 AM BST

The three pace setters

Are leading the bunch but already the pace is quick, Assefa is looking good, as you would expect.

09:26 AM BST

It’s already a fast pace

And the lead group is already splintered into three groups.

09:25 AM BST

The elite women are off

Will the course record go? Tigst Assefa certainly thinks it will go today in what has been called ‘the best field ever for thr women’s London Marathon’ and ‘harder to win than this summer’s Olympics’.

The ones to look out for along with Assefa, are Brigud Kosgei (two-time winner in London), Ruth Chepngetich, Tigist Ketema and Megertu Alemu.

09:15 AM BST

Life and art intertwined

Eastenders actors Emma Barton and Jamie Borthwick will be running today, but as their characters Honey and Jay...they have certain spots they have to be on the route and those scenes will be in tomorrow’s episode.

09:06 AM BST

And they’re off!

This is more akin to cycling than running, you can draft etc. It’s not as punishing as the running (though I am not sure how my arms would take a 26.2 mile race in a wheelchair...), hence you can do a marathon in Boston one week and then race in London the next.

09:04 AM BST

Nearly time for the wheelchair races to get under way

In the women’s race Britain’s Eden Rainbow-Cooper is the favorite, having won in Boston on Monday. She is facing four former winners of this race so the field is stacked.

In the men’s race David Weir will be looking to add to his eight victories in this race. He was third in Boston and his main rival will be Marcel Hug. The Swiss won all six majors last year and again will be the man to beat.

08:52 AM BST

The Hardest Geezer

AKA Russ Cook is running today. This should be like a walk in a park for Cook who, as I am sure you know, has just run the length of Africa. His number is 14136 is you want to follow him on the app...

READ: ‘Hardest Geezer’ completes momentous run along length of Africa

08:41 AM BST

The calm before the storm

08:35 AM BST

An emotional, moving event

The London Marathon is about so much more than the professionals running jaw-dropping times. So we’ll also be checking in on the ‘fun’ runners (from personal experience, not sure there’s much fun to be had during a marathon...) every one who’ll likely have their own inspiring story – what got them to the start line? Who and what are they running for? This is one of the most beautiful sporting events around, one where you can park your cynicism and simply applaud all those taking part.

One of those tackling the 26.2 miles is Nathaniel Dye. The former ultra-runner was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in 2022 and has not trained beyond a 5km Park Run.

Here’s his moving and inspiring story.

READ: ‘I have terminal cancer, but I will run the London Marathon playing a trombone’

08:19 AM BST

The route

The London Marathon route follows its usual course, starting in Greenwich and Blackheath where entrants are split into three lines which converge at the three-mile mark. The route heads east into Woolwich, then back west towards Greenwich town centre, through Rotherhithe and Bermondsey. From there it crosses north over Tower Bridge, which signals the approximate halfway mark. Athletes then complete a circuit around Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs before the course runs west along the north bank of the Thames past the Tower of London towards Trafalgar Square and onto the Mall where it finishes in front of Buckingham Palace.

To download a map of the course, click here.

Some of London’s most famous landmarks feature on the course.

• Cutty Stark, mile six

• Tower Bridge, mile 12

• Canary Wharf, miles 15 and 18

• Tower of London, mile 22

• London Eye, mile 25

• Big Ben, mile 25

• Buckingham Palace, mile 26

08:14 AM BST

Timings

• The elite and wheelchair races set off at staggered times, with the elite wheelchair men’s and women’s races getting under way at 9.05am.

• The elite women’s race starts at 9.25am, while the elite men hit the road at 10am.

• The masses also start at 10am, in waves until 11.30am.

08:09 AM BST

Britain’s hope in the men’s race

Emile Cairess will lead the host nation’s hopes in the elite men’s race, having finished sixth on his debut last year.

Cairess is aiming to better the Olympic qualifying mark to join training partner Phil Sesemann in the Team GB squad for Paris.

The 26-year-old, though, also has one eye on a long-term target of breaking Sir Mo Farah’s six-year-old British marathon record, which was set in Chicago.

“I have a time in my head. I will be trying to run maybe about three-minute kilometres,” Cairess said.

“Mo’s British record is something I definitely want to beat in the near future, but I am not looking at that this weekend.”

07:56 PM BST

Super shoes create new possibilities

There’s a line towards the end of Shawshank Redemption uttered by Red, the one film character I defy anyone to dislike (if you do dislike him, then I despair...) where he utters: “Seriously, how often do you look at a man’s shoes?”

It’s a line that that I have often thought about since I first watched the celebrated film and – unless you happen to be wearing pointy, black school shoes with the laces on the side – the answer from me is “not that much”.

But that won’t be possible today when a lot, if not all, the talk will be of shoes. Yep, technology has come to long-distance running with spectacular results and there is talk of records possibly being broken today.

Tigst Assefa wore the now almost mythical Adidas Adios Adizero Pro Evo 1 carbon running shoes (nice pithy name there) for her world record run in Berlin last year. The Ethiopian crossed the line in 2hr 11min 53sec, shaving more than two minutes off Brigid Kosgei’s 2019 landmark of 2hr 14min 04sec. A former 800m specialist, Assefa only raced the marathon for the first time two years ago before winning the 2022 Berlin race with what was then the third fastest women’s run in history.

Kosgei’s record, which itself beat Paula Radcliffe’s 2003 world record of 2hr 15min 25sec, was also set in the era of the new super-cushioned carbon-plated shoes that emerged in 2016 with Nike’s Vaporfly and then Alphafly innovations.

Today, Assefa is out at the very least to break at least one record, the course record.

“I am very happy to be in London for the first time,” the 27 year old said. “I did train very well for Berlin and I have trained well for this one. God will show how good I am on Sunday.

“I have prepared very well for this race and I am sure I can beat the course record here. As I am sure all my competitors here will feel as well. Regardless of whether it is London or Berlin, it will not change my strategy at all.

“I am here to win.”

In the men’s race shoes will also be a key factor. But last year’s winner Kelvin Kiptum will not be at the start line after his tragic death in a car crash in February. The Kenyan broke the course record with a time of  2hr 1min 25sec last year. The London Marathon will honour the Kenyan in a series of tributes today.

In his absence Tamirat Tola starts as favourite and, having won in New York last autumn, the Ethiopian feels a carefully planned build-up will give him every chance of adding the London Marathon title to his Stateside success.

The 32-year-old locked a new course record of two hours, four minutes and 58 seconds when he won in Manhattan and has high hopes of another fast time in the UK capital.

”[Winning in] London is not easy, but I worked hard to win New York and my training has all been OK since then, so I am ready,” said Tola, who also won the 2023 Great North Run title.

“Everything is good with what my coaches have prepared for me to win, so we can hope for a good result on Sunday.”

Stay here for all the action on London’s roads and watch out for those shoes...