London Marathon Results 2025: Assefa and Sawe are incredible as a world record falls in the capital

Sabastian Sawe and Tigst Assefa roared to sensational Elite race victories at the 2025 London Marathon on Sunday.

Kenyan Sawe and Ethiopian superstar Assefa both ran their rivals into submission in the closing stages as they wrote their names into the history of this iconic race.

There was added reason for Assefa to celebrate as well, as she broke the women’s only world record with an incredible time of 2:15:50.

Elite Women – Assefa blows rivals away

The pace was blistering early with that course record set by Paula Radcliffe way back in 2003 absolutely in the equation if the leaders could keep it up.

Assefa and Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei were heading the field at halfway and they had already started to break their rivals down with reigning Olympic champion Sifan Hassan (NED) starting to drop back and Ethiopia’s Megertu Alemu already crying no mas to fall out of contention.

It was absolutely a two-woman race for the rest of the way and it was just a question of whose will would be greater, and stamina would be stronger. The answer, affirmatively was Assefa’s.

The Ethiopian star surged clear in the final miles to register a spectacular victory, with that women’s only world record time of 2:15:50 adding lustre to her success.

Jepkosgei claimed an excellent second position but she was almost three minutes adrift of the winner at the line, with Hassan just unable to catch her for second and settling for the final spot on the podium.

It was also a good day for Great Britain, with both Eilish McColgan and Rose Harvey cracking the top 10 in eighth and ninth respectively. For McColgan the result came in a Scottish record time of 2:24:25 – faster of course than her brilliant mum Liz.

Tigst Assefa London Marathon 2025 — Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia surges clear to win the 2025 London Marathon.

Elite Men – Sawe surge is too much

The 29-year-old Sawe claimed a terrific victory as he produced a decisive kick from 30-35km to break his rivals in emphatic style.

Before that the pace was unsurprisingly hot, with the pacemakers giving way early as the leading contenders really stepped on the gas.

The question as they hit 30km would be which athlete would make the first decisive move, and it was Sawe. He put in a big kick to burst clear, the only question now was had he gone too soon.

The answer was negative as he eased off slightly in the closing stages to come home just over a minute in front of brilliant Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo who was making his London marathon debut. Alexander Mutiso Munyao of Kenya claimed the final spot on the podium.

Kenyan GOAT Eliud Kipchoge put in a terrific performance at the age of 40, being right there in contention until he started to feel the pace around Canary Wharf. He came home in a highly creditable sixth position.

Mahamed Mahamed was the first British finisher, claiming ninth position in a time of 2:08:52. Meanwhile Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee made a stunning marathon debut, finishing in 2:11:08 for 14th place and the second British finisher.