How Kiplimo marathon debut unfolded in London
Kiplimo (R) stands alongside Sawe (C) and Munyao. PHOTO/REUTERS
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Kiplimo was also safe in second place and he completed a successful debut in 2:03:37, while Munyao moved into third place, finishing in 2:04:20.
On a warm and sunny day, world half marathon champion Sabastian Sawe secured a second successive marathon victory in five months, following his 2:02:05 debut win in Valencia in December with triumph in London in 2:02:27.
Only one other athlete – the late world record-holder Kelvin Kiptum who ran 2:01:25 in 2023 – has ever gone quicker in the London Marathon.
A group of 12 featuring all the leading contenders in a high-quality field started at the targeted 2:01-2:02 pace, reaching the 5km mark in 14:25 led by Ethiopia’s Berlin Marathon champion Milkesa Mengesha and Kenya’s marathon great Eliud Kipchoge.
Ten athletes were together in that lead group through 10km in 28:57. Only one of the three pacemakers remained at 15km, reached in 43:36, with Mengesha following the pacemaker and Kiplimo running at the back of the pack, looking comfortable.
By 20km it seemed that a tactical race was on the cards. Germany’s Amanal Petros, who had been due to run with the chase group, pushed the pace and led the pack through halfway in 1:01:30.
Sawe soon took control and the group was down to nine by 25km, Kenya’s Tokyo Marathon runner-up Timothy Kiplagat dropping from the pack. Sawe and his compatriot Hillary Kipkoech, who had been 26 seconds behind the leaders at 25km, led the field at 30km – a point they passed in 1:27:47. Four-time London Marathon champion Kipchoge was unable to stay with the leaders and a group of eight began to move away.
Feeling good, Sawe made a decisive break. Choosing not to take his drink at 30km, he kicked away and it was a move than none of his rivals could cover.
His surge included a 4:18 20th mile and he reached 35km in 1:41:43 – 22 seconds ahead of Kiplimo and 37 seconds ahead of Mengesha and Kipkoech.
Untroubled, Sawe completed his solo run to the finish line, passing 20km in 1:56:03 with a 46-second advantage before breaking the tape in 2:02:27 to win by 70 seconds. He ran an impressive negative split of 60:58 after passing the half marathon mark in 61:30.
Jacob Kiplimo was also safe in second place and he completed a successful debut in 2:03:37, while Munyao moved into third place, finishing in 2:04:20.
Tokyo Olympic silver medallist and New York City Marathon champion Abdi Nageeye improved his Dutch marathon record to 2:04:20 to finish fourth. Olympic champion Tamirat Tola was fifth in 2:04:42, while Kipchoge (2:05:25), Kipkoech (2:06:05) and Petros (2:06:30) all also broke 2:07.
Mahamed Mahamed was the top British finisher, running 2:08:52 for eighth place, while Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee clocked 2:11:08 on his marathon debut.
