The 44th TCS London Marathon on Sunday 21 April 2024 once again exceeded all expectations. We predicted a women's only world record would be set. We could not have foreseen four women sprinting down The Mall and all of them going inside the previous fastest ever in a women's only race (2:17:01 by Mary Keitany set in London 2018)!

In a thrilling finale, Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir (Kenya, 2:16:16) powered clear of mixed-event world record holder Tigst Assefa (2:16:23), 2021 London champion Joyciline Jepkosgei (2:16:24) and last year's London runner-up Megurtu Alemu (2:16:34) in what was acknowledged as the strongest women's field ever assembled for a marathon (photo above).

The top ten finishers were from African nations, followed by six GB athletes in the small elite field. The first British woman was Mhairi Maclennan (Inverness, 2:29:15) on her marathon debut – a great performance but 2:25 shy of qualifying for the Paris Olympics. The next fastest Brits were Becky Briggs (City of Hull, 2:35:25) and Molly Smith (South London, 2:36:22) who was running in the mass race.

The elite men started with the first of several mass waves. There was a moving startline tribute paid to the defending champion and world record holder (2:00:35) Kelvin Kiptum – the holder of the London course record with his 2:01:25 victory last year – who died in a tragic car crash in Kenya on 11 February 2024, aged just 24.

As a pack of 10 men passed halfway in 1:01:29 it was clear there were to be no new records but an intriguing battle of wills ensued between the leading protagonists, which eventually came down to the experience of 41-year-old Kenenisa Bekele and Alexander Munyao (27) who finally prised a small gap to win in his fastest time to date (2:04:01). Bekele (2:04:15) continues to defy the years as he finished strongly for second and may yet make another Olympics.

Behind the leaders, something of a miracle was happening as fast starters faded or dropped out and Emile Cairess (Leeds City, 2:06:46) smashed his PB by 1:21 to secure a first Olympic selection by finishing a surprise third, with Mahamed Mahamed (Southampton, 2:07:05) finishing like a train for fourth, 1:35 faster than his previous best. These were the best British men's performances in London since Sir Mo Farah was third in 2018 (2:06:22).

Marc Scott (Richmond & Zetland, 2:11:19) made a fine marathon debut for 11th position in the elite men's field of 29 finishers.

London Marathon results and previous reports at the runABC race listing here.         

Photos courtesy of TCS London Marathon