FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KIPCHOGE SHINES AS LONDON CELEBRATES ITS MILLIONTH FINISHER
Record numbers finished the Virgin Money London Marathon today as more than
39,000 completed the gruelling 26.2-mile journey from Blackheath to
Westminster, making the 36th edition of the race the biggest in its history
by almost 1,500 runners.
Of the 39,140 who crossed the Finish Line in The Mall by 18:15 this
evening, one established a new world record and two broke course records on
a day when astronaut Tim Peake became the first man ever to run a marathon
in space and the event on Earth celebrated its one millionth finisher.
The star on the ground was Eliud Kipchoge who produced a #oneinamillion
performance to smash the men's course record and become the second fastest
marathon runner in history.
Jemima Sumgong provided the day's big drama, turning near tragedy into
triumph just a day after Shakespeare's birthday, as she rebounded from a
heavy fall to seal the fifth Kenyan double in the event's 36 editions.
Sumgong shrugged off her tumble and held off defending champion Tigist Tufa
to take the women's crown in 2:22:58 while Kipchoge out-kicked compatriot
Stanley Biwott to retain the men's title in 2:03:05, one minute 25 seconds
inside Wilson Kipsang's course record and just eight seconds outside the
world's best ever.
Kipchoge set a 30km world record en route to victory as he swept over event
co-founder John Disley's London course quicker than anyone else on two
legs, becoming the first man since 2008 to defend the London Marathon
crown.
Tatyana McFadden defended her title too, becoming the first to win four
women's wheelchair crowns in a row since Francesca Porcellato in 2006,
while Marcel Hug won the men's race for the second time to clinch his
second victory in six days and deny David Weir a record seventh win.
McFadden and Hug both have maximum points in the inaugural Abbott World
Marathon Majors wheelchair series and grabbed gold for their nations in the
IPC Athletics Marathon World Cup, while China's Zheng Jin set a T11 world
record in the women's race for visually impaired runners.
Before all that breathtaking action, crowds around the Finish Line had
already seen a course record fall in the Virgin Money Giving Mini London
Marathon when national cross country champion Josh Cowperthwaite marked
himself out as a star of the future by taking six seconds from the Under 15
boys' mark.
The nation's stars of the present were also in form as four British runners
booked their tickets to the Rio Olympics, led by Scot Callum Hawkins who
was eighth in the men's race in a big personal best of 2:10:52.
Tsegai Tewelde was second Briton home, the former Eritrean providing the
day's big shock as he achieved the qualifying mark, while Alyson Dixon and
Sonia Samuels secured their slots in the GB women's team.
After the elites came the masses, a record field of 39,523 sent on their
way by Peake's 10-second countdown. All but 377 completed the course, the
marathon's one millionth finisher somewhere among them, their name to be
announced on 9 May.
Of the celebrity 'names' who finished today, none was quicker than world
champion cyclist Chris Newton who beat his own best time from 12 months ago
as he crossed the line in 2:44:37.
Not far behind was the day's top Dame, the double Olympic champion Kelly
Holmes, who surprised even herself by cruising down The Mall to clock
3:11:27 as the fastest female celebrity runner.
Actress Natalie Dormer was not far behind in 3:51:21, while ever-present
Chris Finill finished his 36th race in 2:56:05, maintaining an incredible
record with his 35th sub-three-hour time.
Alun Cairns was again the fastest MP in 3:28:02, knocking 10 minutes from
last year's time, while Dan Jarvis also improved his time by running
3:43:38.
Meanwhile, there were 31 Guinness World Records, 30 on terra firma, and one
in space, where Peake completed the Digital Virgin Money London Marathon in
3:35:21.
Sean Fitzpatrick was fastest of the Earthlings as he broke the record for
wearing a film character costume in 2:39:08, followed rapidly by Alistair
Smith, who clocked 2:45:37 as the fastest in a nurse's uniform.
Naomi Flanagan was the quickest of the women, clocking 3:08:34 sporting a
Tinkerbelle costume to become the fastest dressed as a book character.
"It was an unforgettable experience," said Peake, a sentiment echoed by
more than 39,000 happy London finishers tonight.
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