London Marathon 2020: Ethiophia’s Shura Kitata wins as favourite Kipchoge suffers first defeat since 2013.
Ethiopian Shura Kitata has won the London Marathon today with a time of 2:05:41.
Eliod Kipchoge was the favourite, but came eighth place.
Behind Shura Kitata was Vincent Kipchumba, of Kenya, in second, with Sissay Lemma, of Ethiopia, third.
In the absence of injured Kenenisa Bekele, Kipchoge was widely expected to lift a fifth London crown but was never able to impose his usual speed in the relentless cold rain.
Earlier, in the women’s race Brigid Kosgei won her second title in a row.
The event, which usually sees tens of thousands of runners pounding the pavement around a central London course, was ran only by the elites today around St James’s Park.
The course takes place in a “secure biosphere” on a enclosed, looped course, due to coronavirus restrictions.
Other amateur runners took part in a virtual marathon, running courses of their choices and uploading times though an app.
In the elite race Jonathan Mellor was the first Brit to cross the, in 13th with a time of 2:10:38.