Jepkosgei and Lemma triumph as fans return to the London Marathon
Joyciline Jepkosgei and Sisay Lemma won the women’s and men’s London Marathons for the first time as British junior doctor Phil Sesemann shocked the field to finish seventh.
Over 40,000 took part in today’s Marathon, and 50,000 completed the race virtually, as crowds returned to the streets of the capital for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Women’s Elite Race
Joyciline Jepkosgei made a key play in on the 22 mile mark as the 2019 women’s New York Marathon winner won the London major in two hours 17 minutes 43 seconds for her first win on the London course.
Pre race favourite Brigid Kosgei could only muster a fourth place finish as she seemingly laboured towards the finish line on The Mall.
Six British athletes finished inside the top 20 within the women’s race, with Charlotte Purdue achieving the best time of the contingent and finished tenth in a time of two hours, 23 minutes, 26 seconds; making her the third fastest woman in British history.
Men’s Elite Race
In the men’s elite race, which began at the same time as the mass participation event, last year’s third place athlete, Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia broke away to win in two hours, four minutes and one second.
World record holder Eliud Kipchoge did not feature but the field was nonetheless strong.
Lemma was unable to stand on the podium due to Covid-19 protocols, where he was a close contact of a positive athlete, and his agent Gianni Demadonna therefore featured on the top spot.
The story of the day, however, was when British junior doctor Phil Sesemann crossed the line in seventh.
The doctor, who’s dog is named Kipchoge after the record holder, ran a time of two hours, 12 minutes and 58 seconds, which is fast enough to qualify for the European Championships and Commonwealth Games.
Wheelchair Elite Races
Switzerland claimed a duo of first places in the elite wheelchair races as Marcel Hug won the men’s title and Manuela Schar the women’s.
The duo set course records on their way to The Mall, with Hug’s one hour, 26 minutes and 27 second effort enough to leave Britain’s David Weir in third place. Schar’s one hour, 39 minutes and 52 seconds was five minutes ahead of second and third place, as Merle Menje and Tatyana McFadden both achieved a time of one hour, 44 minutes and 51 seconds.