The greatest ever field of elite women athletes proved to be just as exciting as fans had hoped in a 2023 London Marathon full of twists and turns, as Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands takes a surprise win in 2:18:33.
After several elite withdrawals before the race, including Eilish McColgan, World record holder Brigid Kosgei dropped out at 09:34 due to an injury.
Amid tough weather conditions, the lead group consisting of defending champion Yalemzerf Yehualaw, Peres Jepchirchir, Sheila Chepkirui and Alemu Megertu battled it out, with the surprise threat of Hassan coming up behind them, making her marathon debut.
It looked as though Hassan was going to have to drop out at around the halfway mark, as she looked like she was experiencing some pain in her left hip flexor. But she pushed through and closed the gap as the lead group started to slow down, looking strong and even offering her drink to other competitors.
Despite training through Ramadan and this being her first ever marathon, Hassan won out in a dramatic final stretch.
“I don’t have any time in my mind, my goal is to just meet the marathon. I want to learn,” she told the BBC before the race. She went on to win the 2023 London Marathon in the strongest line up of elite runners of all time.
British runner Sam Harrison ran a fantastic personal best, just under 2:26.
Who won men’s London Marathon 2023 race?
The men’s race was also incredibly exciting, as Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum set a new course record with 2:01:25. He is now the second-fastest marathon runner of all time, just seconds off breaking Eliud Kipchoge’s world record.
Sir Mo Farah battled the elements in his final London Marathon ever, running a strong race with huge crowd support and finishing in 2:10:28. He faced an unexpected battle against fellow Brit Phil Sessaman, who took Mo over in the final stretch, marking a passing of the baton on to the next generation of British marathon stars.
