Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe delivered a sensational performance to win the 2025 London Marathon on Sunday, clocking an impressive time of 2 hours, 2 minutes, and 27 seconds under blazing sunshine. The 29-year-old distance runner, who had previously triumphed at the Valencia Marathon last December, surged ahead of a world-class field to claim his latest title, finishing comfortably ahead of Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, the world half-marathon record holder.
Sawe executed a perfectly timed move just past the 90-minute mark, breaking away at a drinks station where he chose not to take refreshment. That decision caught his rivals off guard, particularly Kiplimo, who had fallen toward the back of the leading pack. From that moment, Sawe never looked back, maintaining his lead and appearing remarkably fresh as he crossed the finish line on the Mall, near Buckingham Palace.
Behind him, defending champion Alexander Mutiso Munyao of Kenya narrowly secured third place in a thrilling photo finish against Dutch runner Abdi Nageeye. Four-time London Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge, considered one of the greatest marathoners of all time, finished in sixth place after losing contact with the leaders before the decisive move.
At the halfway mark, the leading pack—which also featured Olympic champion Tamirat Tola—posted a split of 1:01:30, well outside world record pace. Yet it was Sawe’s bold attack and sustained pace that ultimately decided the race, firmly establishing him as one of the new dominant forces in long-distance running.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa claimed a commanding victory, setting a new world record with a time of 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 50 seconds. After finishing second in last year’s London Marathon, Assefa returned determined to rewrite history and did so with a performance of supreme control and endurance.
Assefa led a fierce early pace alongside Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei and the Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan, who had gained significant weight after a four-month break following her Olympic triumph in Paris last year. Hassan initially stayed within reach but began to lose contact with the leaders before the halfway point at Tower Bridge, where Assefa and Jepkosgei pulled away with the assistance of the final pacemaker.
Despite her valiant efforts to close the gap, Hassan’s form began to deteriorate past the 30-kilometer mark, leaving her firmly in third place while Assefa and Jepkosgei exchanged leads at the front. Cheered along the route by fellow runners and spectators, Hassan maintained her position but was unable to threaten the leading duo.
With just over two hours elapsed, Assefa made her decisive move, pulling away from Jepkosgei with apparent ease. By the 40-kilometer marker, Assefa had extended her advantage to more than a minute, leaving Jepkosgei trailing in second and securing her own place in the record books with a dominant, historic finish.
The 2025 London Marathon showcased both the emergence of new champions and the ongoing evolution of elite distance running, as Sawe and Assefa stamped their authority with performances that will be remembered for years to come.
