It’s a sporting Sunday October 3. With the Paris-Roubaix cycling race in full swing in France, the London Marathon in the UK ended late in the morning. Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei won the women’s race, while Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma took the top step of the men’s podium.
Joyciline Jepkosgei thus won the marathon, signing a time of 2 hours 17 minutes and 43 seconds, ahead of the two Ethiopians Degitu Azimeraw – second at 15 seconds -, and Ashete Bekere – third at 35 seconds. Already winner of the New York Marathon in 2019, Joyciline Jepkosgei, 28, added the London event to her list of achievements with a new personal best. The Kenyan, vice-world half-marathon champion in 2018, was the strongest, sowing one by one, in the final, the other four members of the group of five who had quickly taken control of the race.
Contested in ideal racing conditions, without sun but without rain and with a moderate wind, the 2021 edition of the prestigious London marathon, on the other hand, played a bad trick on the favorite, Brigid Kosgei, holder of the world record ( 2 h 14 min 4 s) and double title holder. The athlete could then become the second after the German Katrin Dörre, crowned in 1992, in 1993 and in 1994, to string together three victories in the streets of the British capital. But Kosgei ran out of juice in the final kilometers to stay in the race until the end, and the world record holder took only fourth place, 57 seconds off the lead.
For men, Sisay Lemma’s first victory
For his part, Sisay Lemma completed the race in 2 hours 4 minutes and 1 second, ahead of Kenyan Vincent Kipchumba by 27 seconds and another Ethiopian, Mosinet Geremew, by 40 seconds.
This is Sisay Lemma’s first victory in a major marathon. He seemed at ease throughout the race, but failed to improve on his personal best, achieved in Berlin in 2019 in 2 hours 3 minutes and 36 seconds.
Sisay Lemma finished third last year, behind Kipchumba, already second, while his compatriot Shura Kitata, winner last year, was never really able to defend his chances this year and finished in sixth place.