LONDON, ENGLAND, April 26 — Olympic silver medalist Tigst Assefa proved to be the class of London’s premier field as the 28-year-old Ethiopian cruised to a 2:15:50 win. Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei ran with Assefa through 37K and finished 2nd in 2:18:44, with Paris marathon champ Sifan Hassan finishing 3rd in 2:19:00.
“When I crossed the line I felt extreme happiness,” Assefa proclaimed. “I really wanted to win today after Paris where I finished 2nd. I really trained hard, and this preparation has been over 8 months and I’m happy that it has paid off.”
Assefa not only claimed a redemptive victory but also trimmed 26 seconds off Peres Jepchirchir’s year-old women-only World Record, 2:16:16.
The women got off to a quick start rolling through the downhill opening 5K in 15:34 with Assefa, last year’s London runner-up, and 2021 London champ Jepkosgei clipping at the pacers’ heels. Crossing 10K in 31:16, London’s stellar field was already pared to four with Hassan and Ethiopian Alemu Megertu hanging on and last year’s champ Jepchirchir and World Record-holder Ruth Chepngetich not making it to the starting line.
Assefa was more than ready to run fast. She said, “The conditions today were really good as there was no wind. The pacemakers really pushed the pace early on, which really suited me, so I was really pleased with them.”
Not so pleased with her race was Hassan who had yo-yo-ed off the back of the lead group. “I really didn’t want to drop back, I’m in very good shape, but I found it really hard to breathe.”
The fast pace continued and Alemu was dropped at 16K with Hassan grinding away at a fall back/catch up fartlek. Her struggles were on Assefa’s mind. “I was thinking about Sifan and Paris. She is a keen opponent and she was on my mind until she dropped back.”
After closing within 3 seconds at 20K, Hassan quickly lost ground and was 10 seconds in arrears when Assefa and Jepkosgei crossed halfway in 66:40.
“It was hard today,” the 32-year-old Hassan admitted. “Every time I thought I could close the gap, my breathing got harder, and the gap just got bigger, and they worked really hard to get rid of me.”
With Hassan left behind and the final pacer retiring at 25K, suddenly it was just a two-woman race and still a long way to go.
Whether the duo traded the lead or ran side by side, the pace slowed as the leading ladies looked hot running in the warming sunlight. They appeared bothered, as well, by the slow-motion chess match that followed the fast-paced start.
Jepkosgei contemplated her next move. “The plan was to make the first part the quickest, and go from there,” she said. “We were on World Record pace and I was happy for that.”
The problem was when she got to the there part, “It was a bit warm and I had trouble managing the humidity. My body was not moving the way we started, So I said let me control myself and the last kilometers were very tough.”
Assefa sensed her advantage, moving to the front at 35K, and at 2 hours into the race, made her break. Surging on a downhill stretch leading into a tunnel, Assefa emerged on the other side with an insurmountable lead and well on her way to secure her third major marathon title in addition to 2022 and 2023 Berlin wins.
Fully motivated after losing a gold medal sprint in Paris and her WR in the last October, Assefa made it apparent that she won this race in training and then had the composure to deliver on race day.
“I was really training for all outcomes,” Assefa said. “I felt I could win with a sprint; I could also win with a long run from home. The main thing was to prepare well, and that’s what I did.”
Assefa expressed more interest in her big win than Olympic atonement, saying, “I was pleased with my silver medal, but today means so much to me, to be here in London. It means so much to win the race and break the women’s World Record. I’ve worked really hard for this.”
Said Jepkosgei, “I’m very grateful to arrive at the finish line with a little energy. It’s an honor to do well in the London Marathon and finish on the podium.”
And Hassan? “After the Olympics, I took 3 months off and I feel I need more miles,” she lamented. “I was really pushing myself hard, but I couldn’t do more, so I am really happy with 3rd. I’m going to go back to the track, I want to race 1500 meters so I can see my speed.”
Ethiopian Haven Hailu finished 4th in 2:19:17, and 2018 London champ Vivian Cheruiyot returned to form taking 5th in 2:22:32.
LONDON MARATHON WOMEN’S RESULTS
1. Tigst Assefa (Eth) 2:15:50 women-only WR (old record 2:16:16 Peres Jepchirchir [Ken] ’24) (WL) (a-c: 7, 10 W) (15:34, 15:42 [31:16], 15:55 [47:11], 16:01 [1:03:12], 16:02 [1:19:14], 16:19 [1:35:33], 16:39 [1:52:12], 16:35 [2:08:47], 7:03) (1:06:40/1:09:10);
2. Joyciline Jepkosgei (Ken) 2:18:44; 3. Sifan Hassan (Neth) 2:19:00; 4. Haven Hailu (Eth) 2:19:17; 5. Vivian Cheruiyot (Ken) 2:22:32; 6. Stella Chesang (Uga) 2:22:42; 7. Sofiya Yaremchuk (Ita) 2:23:14 NR; 8. Eilish McColgan (GB) 2:24:25 PR; 9. Rose Harvey (GB) 2:25:01; 10. Susanna Sullivan (US) 2:29:30; 11. Philippa Bowden (GB) 2:30:28; 12. Molly Bookmyer (US) 2:32:31.
