Twenty-three-year-old Ethiopian, Yalemzerf Yehualaw, retained her composure despite suffering a mid-race fall to become the youngest woman in history to win the London Marathon.

And it was Kenyan Amos Kipruto‘s second win in the Marathon Majors series after he produced an impressive race in Tokyo earlier this year with his 2:03:13 best. He clocked 2:04:39 in London for another impressive showing.

Yehualaw made her winning break just inside the final 5km, producing a relentless burst of acceleration to kick clear of Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei and on to a magnificent win — just three seconds shy of her Ethiopian record.

Jepkosgei took second in the time of 2:18:07, while third was taken by fellow Ethiopian Alemu Megertu recording a 2:18:32 finish time. For Jepkosgei, the finish was 24 seconds off of her 2021 London performance and personal best. For Megertu, it was a new personal best as she had entered the race with a 2:18:51 from February’s Seville Marathon.

An ecstatic Yehualaw said, “I am so happy to win here in London. I have worked very hard to prepare for this race and to take the victory is amazing.”

Yehualaw, the second fastest half marathoner in history and world 10km record holder, ran the fastest ever women’s time by a marathon debutant to win the Hamburg Marathon (2:17:23) in April this year it was a performance that elevated her to seventh on the all-time list. 

Leul Gebresilase from Ethiopia finished in second place with his 2:05:12 performance, while Bashir Abdi representing Belgium clocked a 2:05:19 finish for third. The 30-year-old Gebresilase owns a best of 2:04:02 from the 2018 running of the Dubai Marathon.

Forty-year-old Kenenisa Bekele took fifth in the time of 2:05:53 for a 40-plus masters world record. The record may not be much consolation for the former multi-world record holder who has run as fast as 2:01:41.

Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner won the wheelchair titles, setting new course records. Defending champion Hug won in 1:24:38. Debrunner prevailed for the first time in 1:38:24.

Men’s results

1. KIPRUTO, Amos (KEN) – 2:04:39
2. GEBRESILASE, Leul (ETH) – 2:05:12
3. ABDI, Bashir (BEL) – 2:05:19
4. ATANAW, Kinde (ETH) – 2:05:27
5. BEKELE, Kenenisa (ETH) – 2:05:53
6. LEGESE, Birhanu (ETH) – 2:06:11
7. LEMMA, Sisay (ETH) – 2:07:26
8. ROBINSON, Brett (AUS) – 2:09:52
9. GHEBRESILASIE, Weynay (GBR) – 2:11:57
10. SESEMANN, Philip (GBR) – 2:12:10

Women’s results

1. YEHUALAW, Yalemzerf (ETH) – 2:17:26
2. JEPKOSGEI, Joyciline (KEN) – 2:18:07
3. MEGERTU, Alemu (ETH) – 2:18:32
4. KORIR, Judith Jeptum (KEN) – 2:18:43
5. MELLY, Joan Chelimo (ROU) – 2:19:27
6. BEKERE, Ashete (ETH) – 2:19:30
7. NGUGI, Mary (KEN) – 2:20:22
8. KEBEDE, Sutume Asefa (ETH) – 2:20:44
9. HOSODA, Ai (JPN) – 2:21:42
10. HARVEY, Rose (GBR) – 2:27:59

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