London Marathon: Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge wins men’s race for record fourth time

Tens of thousands of runners have completed the London Marathon, as a Kenyan star won the men’s race for a record fourth time and a British female athlete collapsed at the finish line.

World record holder Eliud Kipchoge triumphed in the second fastest time in marathon history – two hours, two minutes and 37 seconds – ahead of Ethiopians Mosinet Geremew and Mule Wasihun.

In the women’s race, an exhausted Hayley Carruthers collapsed right at the end as her legs gave way and she fell to the ground, crawling over the line.

She set a personal best time of 02:33:59, and later tweeted a picture of her bandaged ankles along with the caption: “Today I learnt how NOT to run a marathon! #londonmarathon atleast I PB’d.”

Fellow Briton Sir Mo Farah, who was hoping to claim his first marathon victory in the capital, was fifth in a time of 02:05:39 in the men’s event.

His preparations had been marred by a very public row with Haile Gebrselassie.

The Ethiopian legend told Sky News that Farah “kicked and hit” a female athlete during a dispute at a hotel gym in Ethiopia.

But the four-time Olympic champion has strenuously denied the allegation and said the unwelcome headlines had not been a distraction.

The 36-year-old sports star told reporters: “I stand by every word I said. It’s all coming out now, there are a lot of people to prove that. What happened was the honest truth.

“I’m one of those people – I like to get it off my chest and just say it. It’s become a bit too much but at the same time I stick by every word I said.”

Brigid Kosgei won the women’s event after finishing second last year.

Defending champion and fellow Kenyan Vivian Cheruiyot was runner-up this time with Roza Dereje of Ethiopia third.

American Dan Romanchuk was triumphant in the men’s wheelchair race while Manuela Schar of Switzerland came first in the women’s event.

Prince Harry was at the end of the race to present medals to the champions despite his wife Meghan expecting to give birth to their first child any day now.

The total money raised for charity since the event began in 1981 has now topped £1bn for the first time.

Thousands of charities sign up runners to collect donations for the 26.2-mile race. Last year they raised £63.70m, taking the total to £955m since the first event in 1981.

“This is a phenomenal achievement and part of what makes the London Marathon unique. No other mass participation event comes anywhere near this kind of fundraising,” said Hugh Brasher, the race’s event director.

Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK are the race’s official charities in 2019.

Rhino runner Liz Winton from Oxfordshire again competed in the race’s most famous costume for Save The Rhino.

“There’s no greater experience than running the London Marathon, you’re running with so many people, all trying their hearts out,” said Ms Winton, who ran five marathons in five days in Kenya last year for rhino conservation.

“The feeling when you cross that finish line is just pure euphoria and it’s an absolute privilege to be able to run it for Save The Rhino.”

Among the tens of thousands of competitors there was again the usual mix of bizarre world record attempts.

Rebecca and Nuno Cesar de Sa from West Yorkshire are thought to have run the fastest handcuffed London Marathon, a record which previously stood at four hours and two minutes. They finished in three hours and 43 minutes.

“We’re both used to running quite fast but obviously this is really going to slow us down!” said Rebecca, who was running for a brain tumour charity.

Meanwhile in Italy, organisers of next Sunday’s Trieste half-marathon have decided to allow African runners to compete after earlier banning them.

The organisers had claimed athletes are often taken advantage of by their agents, but following accusations of racism over the ban it has now been revoked.

(c) Sky News 2019: London Marathon: Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge wins men’s race for record fourth time