London Marathon 2025 LIVE: Sabastian Sawe wins men’s race as Tigst Assefa sets world record
The London Marathon is prepared for a record-breaking year with over 56,000 people expected to take part
The 2025 London Marathon starts this morning with event organisers hoping to break the record for the world’s largest marathon. Over 56,000 people have signed up to tackle the 26.2-mile course ahead of the 45th annual London Marathon, with many raising funds for charities and good causes.
Organisers also assembled strong fields for the men’s and women’s elite races. Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s event for his biggest career victory after making a solo breakaway with about 10km left, and finished in 2hr 2min and 27sec. The great Eliud Kipchoge finished sixth as British triathlete Alex Yee came home in 14th place.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa shattered the women's-only world record, pulling away from Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya over the final couple of kilometres after the two had set a blistering early pace. The 28-year-old Assefa, silver medallist in the event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, crossed the finish line in 2 hr, 15 min and 50 sec, beating the previous women's-only record set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir. Britain’s Eilish McColgan finished eigthh.
Follow live updates from the 2025 London Marathon in our blog below.
Alex Yee finishes in 2hr 11min
It looks like Alex Yee, Britain’s Olympic triathlon champion, has finished inside the top 15, which is an extraordinary achievement in his first marathon.
Yee collapses in a heap over the line, not unlike his reaction to winning gold in Paris last summer.
He was the second British athlete home after Mahamed Mahamed finished ninth.
Sabastian Sawe wins men's London Marathon 2025!
The great Eliud Kipchoge comes through in fifth place.
Sabastian Sawe wins men's London Marathon 2025!
Sebastian Sawe crushes the field! A field let’s not forget that includes the great Eliud Kipchoge. He raises two hands to the sky in celebration. What a performance.
The winning time was 2hr 2min 27sec.
Sabastian Sawe closing in on men's victory
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe is on the verge of the biggest moment of his career. The 29-year-old stormed to the Valencia Marathon last year but this will be greater still. He’s out on his own with just a couple of kilometres to go...
McColgan finishes eighth in women's race
And here is Eilish McColgan approaching the line, finishing eighth and setting a Scottish marathon record in the process. A great effort.
Tigst Assefa wins women's London Marathon 2025!
An utterly exhausted Joyciline Jepkosgei comes over the line in second, as Sifan Hassan finishes third.
Tigst Assefa wins women's London Marathon 2025!
Assefa, the Olympic silver medallist and second here in London last year, wins this time! She crosses the line, kisses the road and lifts her arms to the sky with a big smile.
She didn’t crack Radcliffe’s course record but she has set a new women-only world record – a phenomenal run.
Tigst Assefa closes in on women's victory
Tigst Assefa, the Ethiopian former world record holder, has broken clear and is now the solo leader at the front of the women’s race as she nears the finish.
She is going to go very close to Paula Radcliffe’s course record...
Pictures from the mass participation race
The masses began at 9.35am behind the men’s elite race and they are nearly and hour and a half in, with temperatures climbing through the teens to about 16C right now. You’ve got to feel for anyone dressed like Big Ben or similar.
Here are a few pictures from the opening 10k:
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