Kenyan world record-holder and defending champion Brigid Kosgei cruised to a dominant victory in the 40th London Marathon on Sunday.
Kosgei overcame her rivals on an unfamiliar multi-lap course in relentless rain to triumph in two hours 18.58 minutes.
Running her first marathon since setting the world record of 2:14.04 in Chicago a year ago, Kosgei ran alongside compatriot Ruth Chepngetich until around the 20-mile mark.
She then forged clear to open a lead of about 50 metres within a couple of minutes, and ran strongly for the rest of the race to finish around three minutes clear.
American Sara Hall produced an incredible finish, wiping out a huge deficit over the last few hundred metres to sweep past world champion Chepngetich almost on the line.
She finished in 2:22.01 to the Kenyan’s 2:22.05.
Wrapped in a huge coat at the finish area, the relatively tiny Kosgei said it had been a tough day.
“It was wonderful to race but we haven’t been able to prepare well because of COVID-19, and because of the weather today it was a struggle up to the moment I finished,” she said.
The race, originally postponed from April because of the COVID-19 pandemic, was run over 19.8 laps of a fenced-off course in a “controlled secure biosphere” around St James’s Park.
The finish line was however in its traditional place on The Mall.
Hall’s remarkable sprint finish meant she bettered her personal best by 15 seconds.
It also meant she had 15,000 dollars to donate to the Ethiopian children’s charity she is supporting with all her prize money.
Kosgei won 30,000 dollars.(Reuters/NAN)
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