London Marathon 2023 LIVE: Latest updates as Kelvin Kiptum breaks men’s record and Sifan Hassan wins women’s
Sir Mo Farah finished ninth on his final London Marathon appearance following two extraordinary races in the men’s and women’s events
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Your support makes all the difference.The London Marathon is back in its usual April spot and some of the world’s most elite long-distance athletes are set to compete across the capital city’s streets on Sunday - as well as thousands of others taking part in the general public.
Sifan Hassan was a surprise winner of the women’s race on her debut over the distance, while Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum won the men’s race in the second fastest marathon in history. The first British man home was not Sir Mo Farah, but Yorkshire’s Emile Cairess, who finished a creditable sixth on his marathon debut. Another Briton, Philip Sesemann, outsprinted Farah on the final straight to finish eighth. Farah came home in his final marathon in ninth.
The course sees entrants will start in south Greenwich, heading back towards the centre of London on to cut by the Cutty Sark by the Thames, hugging the river as they travel through Bermondsey and crossing Tower Bridge. From there it’s through the old Docklands and Canary Wharf before doubling back to begin the final stretch through central London, passing the edge of St James’s Park and on to the famous finish on The Mall near Buckingham Palace.
Follow the 2023 London Marathon live below:
Kelvin Kiptum smashes London Marathon record in extraordinary result
Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum ran the second fastest time in history to win the London Marathon, shattering the course record, in an astonishing performance that at one stage threatened to break Eliud Kipchoge’s world best.
The 23-year-old Kiptum destroyed the field with the fastest second half of a marathon in history, finishing well clear with a time of 2:01.27 - the quickest ever in London. Kiptum tired towards the end and finished 18 seconds short of Kipchoge’s world record, but his performance suggested the great Kipchoge’s time could be under threat in the near future.
Sir Mo Farah finished ninth on his final appearance at the London Marathon, with the British great finishing behind compatriots Emile Cairess and Phil Sesemann. The top three was rounded out by Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor and Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola, who had been left behind by the remarkable Kiptum.
Full report:
Kelvin Kiptum smashes London Marathon record in extraordinary result
Kiptum blew the race apart with the second fastest time in history while Sir Mo Farah finished ninth on his final appearance at the London Marathon
Ukrainian soldier who lost leg to run London Marathon for unity against Russia
A Ukrainian soldier who lost his leg and has been fighting on the front line wearing a prosthesis will run the London Marathon to raise money and share a message of unity against Russian aggression.
Roman Kashpur lost his leg in 2019 when he stood on a mine, but fought on the front line in Ukraine wearing a prosthesis for six weeks after Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
The 26-year-old, from Khmelnyk in Vinnytska, has since moved into a role training fellow troops and on Sunday he will run in the 43rd London Marathon to represent his country and raise money for Citizen – a charity that supports Ukrainian servicemen with amputations.
Ukrainian soldier who lost leg to run London Marathon for unity against Russia
Roman Kashpur, 26, stood on a mine in 2019 but has fought on the front line against Russia wearing a prosthesis
London Marathon 2023 prize money: How much will the winners get?
The London Marathon returns to a traditional spring date in 2023, with some of the world’s best distance runners set to compete.
The ever-anticipated event has been held in the autumn in each of the last three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This year, however, it is back to a late April date, with elite athletes and recreational runners all training hard in a bid to complete the 26.2-mile course in the fastest time.
While the charitable efforts of many participants deserve and command much of the focus over the weekend, for those in the elite fields, there is also prize money to be won.
Here’s everything you need to know.
London Marathon 2023 prize money: How much will the winners get?
Everything you need to know ahead of the race
London Marathon live
Sir Mo Farah’s words after finishing his final London Marathon:
I’ve got great support here over the years and I wanted to make my last Marathon here.
I was confident and thought I’d do between 2.05 and 2.07 but you never know. I gave it my all but my body just didn’t respond. I pushed myself all the way but it didn’t respond and that’s when you know it’s time to call it a day!
Part of me was wanting to cry along the course - the crowd and people are amazing, even though it’s pouring with rain people come out and that’s what the sport needs, that’s what keeps me going. I will miss that, it’s quite emotional.
To finish third here was incredible. We need to give back to the younger athletes and teach them anything is possible. Some younger ones don’t understand that’s what they can do but they can. That’s what I want to give back to them.
It’s my turn, I’ve got a couple of races more and then I’m done. The Great North Run will be my last race to say goodbye to the fans and I’m looking forward to it. I’ve had an amazing career.
London Marathon live
The largest-ever London Marathon will see tens of thousands of runners due to raise over £60 million for charity.
At least 45,000 people are expected to take part – including entrants classed as non-binary for the first time – up from 40,643 in 2022, making this year’s mass-participation race the biggest ever, according to organisers.
The Met Office has warned that runners in both the elite and mass races are likely to be hit by heavy downpours.
Racers range in age from 90-year-old David Picksley, to Lana Dales, who turns 18 the day before the race.
Largest-ever London Marathon set to raise £60 million for charity
The event begins on Sunday morning with at least 45,000 people expected to take part.
London Marathon live
Sensational from the elite athletes all around!
Now it’s time to turn attentions to the tens of thousands of others who are racing for so many other causes and stories.
London Marathon live
Sifan Hassan has been speaking to BBC Sport:
“It was really amazing. I never thought I will finish a marathon and here I am with my greatest mile. I won, I can’t believe it. It was such an amazing crowd, every kilometre I was so grateful. I didn’t know when I was going to stop,” she said.
“I saw them miss a drink and I was terrible getting them. I didn’t practice drinking during Ramadan and I didn’t know where to get them. When I was drinking, the first few minutes I couldn’t breathe properly. I also had a hip problem, so I stopped! It’s crazy. But then it went a little bit better.”
Kelvin Kiptum smashes London Marathon record in extraordinary result
Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum ran the second fastest time in history to win the London Marathon, shattering the course record, in an astonishing performance that at one stage threatened to break Eliud Kipchoge’s world best.
The 23-year-old Kiptum destroyed the field with the fastest second half of a marathon in history, finishing well clear with a time of 2:01.27 - the quickest ever in London.
It was the second extraordinary performance in London, after Sifan Hassan won the women’s race in what was her marathon debut.
More here:
Kelvin Kiptum smashes London Marathon record in extraordinary result
Kiptum blew the race apart with the second fastest time in history
London Marathon live
Full list of winners today from the four which are finished:
Men’s wheelchair - Marcel Hug, 1:23:44
Women’s wheelchair - Madison De Rozario, 1:38:51
Men’s elite - Kelvin Kiptum, 2:01:25 (London course record)
Women’s elite - Sifan Hassan, 2:18:33
London Marathon live
This is the last stretch for Sir Mo Farah too, who gets a big cheer as he comes around the final corner.
Phil Sesemann streaks past him at the last stretch to finish second among the British men, then Farah in 2:10:27.
His name is read out and it’s one big final cheer in his final London Marathon.
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