Kenyan beats Jakob Kiplimo on Sunday in 2:02:27 as Mahamed Mahamed is first Brit home in 2:08:52 in a sun-drenched British capital

With a devastating surge after 31km, Sabastian Sawe sliced through the opposition to surge clear to a decisive men’s victory in the TCS London Marathon on Sunday (April 27) in 2:02:27.

A power-packed field had no answer when he made his break. One by one, they peeled off and saw their chances of winning disappear. They included four-time winner Eliud Kipchoge, world half-marathon record-holder Jacob Kiplimo, defending champion Alex Mutiso and Olympic champion Tamirat Tola. This was Sawe’s day and he proved unstoppable.

The 29-year-old was already controlling the pace at the front but then took advantage of his rivals slowing through a drinks station. Deciding not to take a drink himself, he burst clear and within seconds had a clear gap which he continued to extend, eventually winning his first World Marathon Major title by 70 seconds.

Kiplimo finished runner-up with a big smile on his face on his debut in 2:03:36. Mutiso lost his crown as reigning champion but the Kenyan put on a tremendous sprint with Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands in a battle for third place, both men clocking 2:04:20 as Mutiso got the narrow verdict for a podium place.

In fifth, Tola followed his victory in Paris 2024 with a 2:04:42 clocking here. Sixth was Kipchoge at the age of 40 as he clocked 2:05:25 in what might prove his final London Marathon. Seventh was Hillary Kipkoech of Kenya in 2:06:05 with Germany’s Amanal Petros eighth in 2:06:30.

Mahamed Mahamed enjoyed a fine run to finish top Brit in 2:08:52, as the Southampton runner was ninth overall. Impressively, Mahamed had trained late at night under floodlights due to observing Ramadan during a six-week training camp in Morocco while also wrestling with an Achilles problem.

After a more cautious start, Alex Yee enjoyed a strong latter part of the race to finish second Brit home in 14th overall in 2:11:08 - a fine debut run from the Olympic triathlon champion.

Third Brit home was Weynay Ghebresilasie in 2:11:21 - the 31-year-old has had a tremendous journey since the London 2012 Olympics, where he competed in the steeplechase for Eritrea before becoming a refugee in the UK and eventually settling in Glasgow with Shettleston Harriers.

Next home in 16th overall was Jake Smith with 2:11:57, the Pontypridd runner having recovered from injury problems in recent years. Following Smith the British battle was Alex Milne in 2:14:03 and Phil Sesemann and 2:14:46.Men's leaders (LM Events)Until recently, Sawe was best known as a half-marathon specialist with a best time of 58:05 and a world title in Riga in 2023. But at the Valencia Marathon in December he clocked 2:02:05 to win on his marathon debut and again showed his ability in London with a decisive performance.

Despite that result in Valencia, he was slightly overlooked on the eve of London, with more focus on Kiplimo following the Ugandan’s amazing 56:41 half-marathon world record in February. There was even talk in the media of Kiplimo becoming the first man to break two hours in a bona fide race.

On a warm sunny day in the British capital the leading men cruised through 5km in 14:25 and 10km in 28:57. Behind, Ghebresilasie, Sesemann and Mahamed passed 10km in 30:02 with Mellor, Rowe, Yee half a minute behind.

Halfway was reached in 61:30 amid massive crowds in the Tower Bridge area. The sun brought out the people and it was also bringing out the best in Sawe as he looked comfortable in the conditions despite wearing arm warmers to presumably help with the early morning chill.

For the Brits, Ghebresilasie, Sesemann and Mahamed reached halfway in 63:44 with Jack Rowe, Jonny Mellor and Yee running more conservatively in 64:19.

After 30km things really started to heat up, with Kipchoge, who had looked relaxed up until the point, beginning to lose contact as he drifted backwards.

Such was the ferocity of Sawe's surge, he ran the 5km section from 30-35km in an eye-watering 13:56.

At 35km, Sawe’s lead was 22 seconds over Kiplimo. At 40km he extended this to 46 seconds. From thereafter the result was a formality as the adidas-sponsored athlete maintained his relaxed running form along the Embankment and eventually on to The Mall.

Such was Sawe’s strength in the latter stages, he ran the second half of the race more than half a minute quicker than the first in 60:57.