Sifan Hassan wins TCS London Marathon in her debut

The reigning Olympic champion in the 5,000m and 10,000m, Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands, put on an impressive, if bumpy, performance in London Sunday morning, winning her first marathon in a sprint to the finish and breaking the tape in 2:18:34 (a Dutch national record). Alemu Megertu of Ethiopia, who finished third last year, followed three seconds later, in 2:18:37, and Peres Jepchirchir, the reigning Olympic champion who went on to win the New York City Marathon in 2021 and the Boston Marathon in 2022, had to settle for third after leading for most of the final portion of the race; her time was 2:18:38.

It’s fair to say Hassan felt no pressure going into the race, this being her first marathon, and she indicated that after her recovery she would return to the track to prepare for the shorter races at this year’s World Athletics Championships in Hungary. Hassan bided her time, patiently hanging back (as she is often seen to do on the track). She went through 5 km in 10th position, in a relatively leisurely 16:13 (3:08 per km); by the halfway point, she had only moved up one position. At 30 km, she was in seventh, just off the lead pack, which was led by Jepchirchir.

At one point, Hassan stopped to stretch her hip, then had to pick up the pace to rejoin the group, which had gotten away from her; at another point, she flew across the road to get her drink, which was on the opposite side to the tangent the pack was running. (Then she offered her bottle to the defending champion, Yalemzerf Yehualaw, who had missed hers, a gesture Yehualaw ignored.) At 40 km, Hassan was still in a pack of four women, who then dropped Yehualaw. In the final 250 metres, Hassan unleashed the kick that has rarely failed her, surging into the lead down the Mall to take the win.

Hassan’s win is all the more remarkable, considering she trained through Ramadan, which involves fasting during the day for seven days for a month, for observant Muslims.

"I have no words I feel like an Olympic champion."

"I can't believe it….To win in London, it’s amazing!”

– 2023 London Marathon winner to @alnbrookes after winning her marathon debut#LondonMarathon pic.twitter.com/561zFzkEz2

— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) April 23, 2023

World record holder and two-time London Marathon champion Brigid Kosgei, who has been dealing with a knee injury, started the race but pulled off the course after only a few minutes. 

“I had some problems with my hip, and I have been taping [it], but I forgot today, and it locked up around 20 km,” Hassan said after the race. “I couldn’t believe it … I had no thoughts of winning. I didn’t practice how to drink. I had a whole month of Ramadan … I have no words … I feel like an Olympic champion. To win in London–it’s amazing.”

Hassan confirmed that she will return to the track for the world championships, but said she plans to race another marathon in the U.S. (Chicago or New York), possibly as soon as this fall. 

In the men’s race, Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum, who pulled off the fastest debut in marathon history at last year’s Valencia Marathon (finishing in 2:01:53, smashing Eliud Kipchoge’s course record of 2:02:37 and less than a minute off his world record), brought his personal best down another 28 seconds to break the tape in a shocking 2:01:25, only 16 seconds off the world record. Kiptum surged at 30 km, repeatedly looking over his shoulder to see how close his rivals were, but managed to hang on for the win, almost three full minutes ahead of Geoffrey Kamworor in second place (he finished in 2:04:23) and reigning world champion Tamirat Tola in third (2:04:59). 

Women’s Top 10

1. Sifan Hassan (NED) 2:18:34
2. Alemu Megertu (ETH) 2:18:37
3. Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) 2:18:38
4. Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:18:51
5. Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) 2:18:53
6. Judith Jeptum Korir (KEN) 2:20:41
7. Almaz Ayana (ETH) 2:20:44
8. Tadu Teshome (ETH) 2:21:31
9. Sofiia Yaremchuk (ITA) 2:24:02
10. Susannah Sullivan (USA) 2:24:27

Women’s wheelchair race

Australia’s Madison de Rozario scored her second London victory, inching Switzerland’s Manuela Schär and sprinting across the line in 1:38:51–a new course record. Schär (the previous course record holder) crossed the line a second later, with defending champion Catherine Debrunner, also of Switzerland, finishing third, in 1:38:54. Last week’s Boston Marathon champion, Susannah Scaroni of the U.S., was fourth in 1:38:57.

For complete results, click here.