Hassan and Kiptum triumph in astounding London Marathon

Sifan Hassan has staged a remarkable rally to win the women's London Marathon in the Olympic track champion's first race over the distance as Kelvin Kiptum won the men's race in the second-fastest time in history.

"It was just amazing. I never thought I would finish a marathon and here I am winning it!" Hassan told the BBC on Sunday.

It looked as if the Ethiopian-born Dutch runner's debut marathon would end in disappointment when she was dropped from the leading group and left holding her side after the hour mark.

Running on the rainswept streets of the British capital, the 5,000 and 10,000 metres Olympic gold medallist from the Covid-delayed 2020 Tokyo games grabbed her hip and stopped to stretch off the injury.

However, she recovered to rejoin the leaders with three miles to go.

"And then I missed one of the drinks stations! I didn't practice that part of the race because I have been fasting and so that was quite difficult. But I needed it... I wasn't thinking about winning or how fast I was going to be and I think that was a good thing for me today," Hassan said.

Having shaken off her injury, Hassan burst clear in a sprint finish to win in a time of 2 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds.

Ethiopia's Alemu Megertu was second in 2:18:37, with Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir, the Olympic champion, third in 2:18:38. This was the first time Jepchirchir had been defeated in a major marathon race.

A Kenyan one-two

Kenya's 23-year-old Kelvin Kiptum, who became the third fastest male marathon runner of all time on his debut in Valencia in December, broke the course record in an astonishing time of 2:01:25.

Having broken clear of the field, Kiptum faded towards the finish and missed out on Eliud Kipchoge's world record by 16 seconds.

Geoffrey Kamworor made it a Kenyan one-two, finishing second in 2:04:23, with Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola third in 2:04:59.

"I am so happy with the result," Kiptum told the BBC. "I don't know what to say right now, I am just grateful!"

British distance great Mo Farah, in his last marathon before retirement, finished ninth in 2:10:28. A four-time Olympic track champion, Farah was not even the first Briton home.

Emile Cairess was sixth in 2:08:07, with Phil Sesseman overtaking Farah in the final few hundred metres.

"I gave it my all but my body just wasn't responding, and that's when you know when it's time to call it a day," said the 40-year-old Farah after confirming he will end his career at September's Great North Run in northeast England.