Sebastian Sawe and Tigst Assefa Crowned 2025 London Marathon Champions
Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe and Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa have emerged victorious at the 2025 London Marathon, delivering thrilling performances in a race packed with some of the world’s top distance runners.
Sawe, 30, produced a dominant run to win the men’s race in 2 hours, 2 minutes, and 27 seconds — his second marathon victory following his win at the Valencia Marathon last December. The Kenyan outpaced a competitive field, including pre-race favourite Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda, who finished second, and fellow Kenyan Alexander Mutiso Munyao, who claimed the bronze medal position.
Kenyan marathon legend and four-time London Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge finished a distant sixth, as a new generation of athletes made their mark on the iconic event.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa delivered a historic performance, winning in 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 50 seconds — setting a new women-only world record. Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei finished second with a strong time of 2 hours, 18 minutes, and 44 seconds. Olympic champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands secured third place, while Kenya’s Vivian Cheruiyot finished fifth.
The 2025 edition of the London Marathon will be remembered not just for its fierce competition, but also for the historic record set in the women’s race and the shifting dynamics among the sport’s elite runners.
