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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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:
London Marathon live
Right then, final stretch for the women.
It’s Jepchirchir leading, Megertu second, Yehualaw third, Hassan fourth right now. Chepkirui has fallen off the pace a bit.
The first one to make a little break was Megertu but then she quickly drops back in. Last year’s winner Yehualaw has dropped off a little more, into fourth.
London Marathon live
Cairess has left Farah some way in the distance. About on track for a 2:08:00 pace for the younger Brit at the moment.
Back to the women’s race though - and a mistake there for Hassan - she forgot her drink was on the right side instead of the left. She swerves across and grabs it last minute, then offers Yehualaw a sip. Bit of a mental battle there perhaps?
Approaching the last mile now.
London Marathon live
Defending champion, Olympic champion. Megertu was third last year. And the great track athlete, Hassan.
Elsewhere, Kiptum starts to up the pace and opens up a bit of a gap - but then misses his drink. That could be significant. He isn’t altering his approach though, he has quickly opened up about a 20m break between himself and the rest, just as he looked to do in Valencia to win there. 1:30:00 now in the men’s.
London Marathon: How technology is making the race entirely different from its ancient beginnings
The marathon was always supposed to be ancient. When the event started, at the first modern Olympics in 1896, it was intended as a way of calling on ancient traditions; pointing back to the Ancient Greek origins of the games, and the probably mythical tale of the runner Pheidippides who ran to Athens from Marathon to report on the success of the battle there.
Nobody knows for sure what shoes – or none – Pheidippides was wearing. But his contemporary counterparts’ footwear is so advanced that it would have appeared thoroughly alien to any Ancient Greek, or even the marathon runner of a couple of decades ago.
They are just one technology that is thoroughly transforming the sport of long-distance running, admired for so long for being an ancient and simple art of strapping on some shoes and going as far and as fast as possible. Alongside super shoes have come digital twins and advanced wearables, technologies so advanced that they threaten to smash records and change the way athletes run.
More here on the ever-increasing role of tech in sport:
The London Marathon could soon look completely different
Shoe technology and other advances have already revolutionised long-distance running in the last 10 years – and much more is coming
London Marathon live
Well now. Hassan is back in the lead group after making up all that distance, so there’s five looking at this late fight as we pass the two-hour mark.
Chepkirui is next in her sights, then the other three are all more or less level.
Are we going to see a debutant winner? A back-to-back winner? All options still on the table here.
London Marathon live
Kipruto, Kiptum and Legese leading the way for the men. Kamworor is in attendance too. They are an hour and ten minutes into the race there.
But for now it’s the women’s race we’re focused on, with a great finish in sight.
Sam Harrison is 12th, the lead Brit, looking for a PB for sure as it stands.
In the lead quartet it’s Yehualaw, Jepchirchir, Chepkirui and Megertu battling away. Korir and Hassan are still just behind.
London Marathon live
Now the lead group is starting to split! Four out in front and the pace is starting to rise.
Yehualaw checks her watch, Megertu throws away her bottle. That group looks to be responding to Hassan’s push to haul them back in - they don’t want her close for the final mile or so, which has been her strong point in distance racing until now, even if not in marathons.
London Marathon live
Kelvin Kiuptum is just a second ahead of the chasing pack right now in the men’s.
Hassan has closed the gap to about 20m to the leaders in the women’s race - Jepchirchir is in the lead, Chepkirui second but pretty much level in any case. There’s real excitement building over the end to this race and it could be a scintillating finish.
London Marathon live
Over the bridge come the leaders of the men’s race. Mo Farah just about dropping off now as he grabs his drink at the start of it. Emile Cairess is just behind him too.
Huge crowds over the bridge as usual, as we pass the one-hour mark.
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