At 18:35 on Sunday 27 April 2025, it was confirmed. TCS London Marathon had just become the world's largest marathon as it surpassed New York's 2024 world record of 55,646 finishers and more runners were still arriving in The Mall as runABC went to press last night!

Earlier, we had seen the women's only world record smashed by Tigst Assefa and the second fastest course time in the 45-year history of the London Marathon by Sabastian Sawe.

On the domestic front, there was much to applaud. Eilish McColgan (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers) broke the Scottish record on her marathon debut; Mahamed Mahamed (Southampton AC) led the GB men in ninth place, and the Olympic and World Triathlon champion Alex Yee (Kent AC) made an astonishing marathon debut.

Assefa put in a remarkable 24th mile of 5:02 to break the stubborn resistance of Joyceline Jepkosgei after the pair had dropped the defending champion Sifan Hassan. Assefa strode through the finish on The Mall in 2:15:50 for a women-only marathon world record.

Eilish McColgan's Scottish record of 2:24:25 eclipsed Steph Twell's previous mark of 2:26:40 but more importantly, it was a McColgan family best as her mother Liz ran 2:26:52 in 1997 after winning London in 1996. Rose Harvey (Clapham Chasers) also made the top 10 with ninth in 2:25:01.

The men's elite race saw an early departure of the pacemakers and an early bid for victory by Sabastian Sawe. After Sawe skipped a drink station he ran the 20th mile in 4:18 and never looked back as his lead grew until he passed the finish line in 2:02:27. Remarkably, this was Sawe's Abbott World Marathon Majors event debut!

More than a minute later the world half marathon record holder Jacob Kiplimo finished in 2:03:37 on his marathon debut and Alex Munyao and Abdi Nageeye tied on 2:04:20 for third, with Munyao judged to have edged the sprint finish.

Mahamed Mahamed's top 10 was achieved in 2:08:52 and Alex Yee's debut 2:11:08 was good for 14th place.

Results and previous reports are at the runABC race listing here.

Photo of final finishers courtesy TCS London Marathon