
Assefa sets world record, Sawe destroys high class field in London marathon
The Peninsula
London: Ethiopia s Tigst Assefa set a new women s only world record of 2hr 15min 50sec as she won the London marathon on Sunday whilst Kenya s Sabasti...
London: Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa set a new women's only world record of 2hr 15min 50sec as she won the London marathon on Sunday whilst Kenya's Sabastian Sawe put a star-studded men's field to the sword.
For 28-year-old Assefa it was ample compensation for finishing runner-up both in London and the Paris Olympics last year -- especially as bitter Dutch rival, the Ethiopia-born Sifan Hassan, finished third.
Assefa dropped Kenya's Joyciline Jepkosgei as the race, played out in blazing sunshine and with thousands lining the route, entered its business end.
She came home almost three minutes clear of the Kenyan. Hassan, who beat her in an ill-tempered finish to the Olympic race last year, was well adrift in third.
"I was second last year so to win here this year is very special," she told the BBC speaking through an interpreter.