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2015 London Marathon

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35th London Marathon
Men's winner Eliud Kipchoge
VenueLondon, England
Date26 April 2015
Champions
MenEliud Kipchoge (2:04:42)
WomenTigist Tufa (2:23:21)
Wheelchair menJosh George (1:31:31)
Wheelchair womenTatyana McFadden (1:41:13)
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The 2015 London Marathon was the 35th running of the annual marathon race in London, England, which took place on Sunday, 26 April.[1] The men's elite race was won by Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge and the women's race was won by Ethiopian Tigist Tufa. The 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships marathon events were also held during the race. The men's wheelchair race was won by Josh George from the United States and the women's wheelchair race was won by American Tatyana McFadden. McFadden set a course record for the second year running.

Around 172,888 people applied to enter the race: 51,696 had their applications accepted and 38,020 started the race. These were all record highs for the race.[2] A total of 37,581 runners, 23,208 men and 14,373 women, finished the race.[3]

In the under-17 Mini Marathon, the 3-mile able-bodied and wheelchair events were won by Ben Dijkstra (14:00), Harriet Knowles-Jones (16:07), Nathan Maguire (11:35) and Kare Adenegan (12:41).[4]

Field

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The 2015 men's elite field was dubbed the "clash of the champions" by race organizers due to an unusually large number of top competitors. Eight men in the field had recorded a sub-2:05 race in their career, the three fastest marathoners ever, and five of the top 10 all-time were among those competing.[5][6]

British runner Paula Radcliffe, who holds the women's marathon world record, chose to compete in the mass field instead of the elite field. Before the race, she stated that it would be her final competition.[7] Earlier in the year, she was suffering from an Achilles tendon injury which gave her limited training time before the marathon.[8]

Approximately 38,000 people took part in the race overall, many of them raising money for charity. Competitors ranged in age from 18 to 90.[9]

Celebrities taking part in the London Marathon included: Formula One driver Jenson Button, former MotoGP and Superbike rider James Toseland and rowing Olympic gold medalist James Cracknell who were raising money for Cancer Research UK and a brain injury charity called Headway respectively,[7][10] the BBC Radio Two presenter Chris Evans, fashion designer Henry Holland, actor Oliver Proudlock and model Christy Turlington Burns.[10] Five members of the House of Commons members took part: Alun Cairns, Richard Drax, Graham Evans, Dan Jarvis and Edward Timpson as did Governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney.

Among those competing in the three-mile children's course was David and Victoria Beckham's son Romeo.[7] According to the family, Romeo's run raised £6,000 for UNAIDS.[10]

Race description

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Paula Radcliffe during the marathon

On race day, conditions were overcast with light rain in places. The temperature was mildly cold, decent for running.[7][10] An estimated 750,000 fans lined the streets of London to watch the race live.[10]

The men's race got off to a fast start, covering the first three miles in 14 minutes, 31 seconds. From there the pace periodically sped up and slowed down as racers considered their strategies.[6] After ten miles, it appeared that the course record of 2:04:29 was within reach. After the race passed Tower Bridge, the lead group contained ten runners. By the 19-mile mark, it was cut to six as defending champion Wilson Kipsang of Kenya pushed the pace.[5] With four miles to go, the lead group was down to four competitors, all from Kenya: Eliud Kipchoge, Stanley Biwott, Kipsang, and world record holder Dennis Kimetto.[6]

Kipsang and Kipchoge broke free of the others as they approached the 24-mile mark.[6] The two remained close until Kipchoge pulled away in the final 800 metres. Kipchoge finished in a time of 2 hours, 4 minutes, 42 seconds for his first London Marathon victory. Previously, he won the Chicago and Rotterdam Marathons in 2014. "It was a tough race," he commented. "My training paid off and it went to plan. The crowd were wonderful and lifted me for my sprint finish."[7] Kipsang finished five seconds back for second place. Kimetto placed third, more than a minute behind the leaders.[5] Biwott finished fourth to complete a top four sweep by Kenya.[7]

In the women's race, the pace was slow. Tigist Tufa of Ethiopia used a late surge to distance herself from the field, finishing in a time of 2 hours, 23 minutes, 22 seconds.[5] It was just the second time an Ethiopian woman won the London Marathon, after Derartu Tulu won the 2001 London Marathon, and ended a four-year winning streak for Kenya. It was Tufa's first major marathon win. "The weather was very difficult for me and I found it a very slow race until the end", she said. "I was unwell at the end but I am very happy that I am OK now. I've always dreamed about winning the London Marathon."[7] Two-time winner and pre-race favourite Mary Keitany of Kenya finished in second place, 18 seconds behind Tufa. Tirfi Tsegaye of Ethiopia placed third.[7] Radcliffe finished in a time a 2:36:55. She called the race very emotional and remarked "It was so loud, my ears were ringing. It was just amazing the whole way round. All the way along, there were so many people giving me encouragement."[11]

A total of 37,675 racers had completed the course by 6:10 pm, eclipsing the record of 36,705 set in 2012. Guinness World Records reported that more than 30 records were broken during the race for things such as "fastest marathon dressed as Spiderman." Two competitors wed midway through the race.[10] Prince Harry presented the winners with their medals. Radcliffe received a lifetime achievement award.[7]

IPC World Marathon Championships

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Elite wheelchair competitors at the start of the race: David Weir (37) 2nd, Josh Cassidy (22), Ernst van Dyk (23) 5th, Kota Hokinoue (26) 7th

Britain's David Weir was attempting to win a record seventh London Marathon title in the men's wheelchair race. After Marcel Hug withdrew from the race midway with a punctured tyre, Weir and American Josh George battled for the lead. Weir appeared to have the advantage in the final straightaway, but George nipped him at the line.[6] George finished in a time of 1:31:31, one second ahead of Weir.[6][12] Masazumi Soejima of Japan placed third.[12] It was George's first London Marathon title.[7]

American Tatyana McFadden won the women's race for the third consecutive year.[7] Her time of 1:41:13 beat her own course record set in 2014 by nearly four minutes.[6][13] It was the third time that McFadden had set a course record in London and it was her first global marathon title. The defending World Champion Manuela Schär finished almost three minutes behind in second.[14]

El Amin Chentouf, Abderrahman Ait Khamouch and Elena Pautova set world records in the men's T12, men's T46, and women's T12 categories respectively.[15]

Results

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Men

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Position Athlete Nationality Time
1st place, gold medalist(s) Eliud Kipchoge  Kenya 2:04:42
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich  Kenya 2:04:47
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Dennis Kipruto Kimetto  Kenya 2:05:50
4 Stanley Biwott  Kenya 2:06:41
5 Tilahun Regassa  Ethiopia 2:07:16
6 Sammy Kitwara  Kenya 2:07:43
7 Javier Guerra  Spain 2:09:33
8 Ghebrezgiabhier Kibrom  Eritrea 2:09:36
9 Aleksey Reunkov  Russia 2:10:10
10 Serhiy Lebid  Ukraine 2:10:21
11 Emmanuel Kipchirchir Mutai  Kenya 2:10:54
12 Michael Shelley  Australia 2:11:19
13 Scott Overall  United Kingdom 2:13:13
14 Anuradha Cooray  Sri Lanka 2:13:47
15 Koen Raymaekers  Netherlands 2:14:25
16 Hermano Ferreira  Portugal 2:15:53
17 Matthew Hynes  United Kingdom 2:16:00
18 Bekir Karayel  Turkey 2:16:06
19 Christian Kreienbühl  Switzerland 2:17:00
20 Aaron Scott  United Kingdom 2:20:49
Geoffrey Mutai  Kenya DNF
Tsegaye Mekonnen  Ethiopia DNF
Samuel Tsegay  Eritrea DNF
Wilfred Kipkosgei  Kenya DNF
Edwin Kipyego  Kenya DNF
Wilfred Kirwa Kigen  Kenya DNF
Kadengoi Loitareng  Kenya DNF

Women

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Position Athlete Nationality Time
1st place, gold medalist(s) Tigist Tufa  Ethiopia 2:23:22
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Mary Jepkosgei Keitany  Kenya 2:23:40
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Tirfi Tsegaye  Ethiopia 2:23:41
4 Aselefech Mergia  Ethiopia 2:23:53
5 Florence Kiplagat  Kenya 2:24:15
6 Jemima Sumgong  Kenya 2:24:23
7 Priscah Jeptoo  Kenya 2:25:01
8 Ana Dulce Félix  Portugal 2:25:15
9 Volha Mazuronak  Belarus 2:25:36
10 Edna Kiplagat  Kenya 2:27:16
11 Iwona Lewandowska  Poland 2:27:47
12 Diane Nukuri  Burundi 2:27:50
13 Tatyana Petrova Arkhipova  Russia 2:28:42
14 Alessandra Aguilar  Spain 2:29:45
15 Sonia Samuels  United Kingdom 2:31:46
16 Mary Davies  New Zealand 2:34:22
17 Emma Stepto  United Kingdom 2:35:41
18 Rebecca Robinson  United Kingdom 2:36:51
Tetyana Hamera-Shmyrko  Ukraine DQ
Rkia El Moukim  Morocco DQ
Elvan Abeylegesse  Turkey DNF
Rebecca Chesire  Kenya DNF
Peres Jepchirchir  Kenya DNF
Elizeba Cherono  Kenya DNF
Susan Partridge  United Kingdom DNF

Wheelchair men

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Position Athlete Nationality Time
1st place, gold medalist(s) Josh George  United States 1:31:31
2nd place, silver medalist(s) David Weir  United Kingdom 1:31:32
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Masazumi Soejima  Japan 1:31:33
4 Pierre Fairbank  France 1:31:33
5 Ernst van Dyk  South Africa 1:31:33
6 Tomasz Hamerlak  Poland 1:31:56
7 Kota Hokinoue  Japan 1:32:22
8 Jordi Madera  Spain 1:33:22
9 Heinz Frei  Switzerland 1:33:23
10 Simon Lawson  United Kingdom 1:34:21
11 Ryota Yoshida  Japan 1:35:35
12 Alhassane Baldé  Germany 1:38:31
13 Tobias Loetscher  Switzerland 1:38:32
14 Laurens Molina  Costa Rica 1:38:32
15 Denis Lemeunier  France 1:38:33
16 Ebbe Blichfeldt  Denmark 1:38:34
17 Hiroki Nishida  Japan 1:41:48
18 Hiroyuki Yamamoto  Japan 1:43:29
19 Choke Yasuoka  Japan 1:43:44
20 Alexey Bychenok  Russia 1:46:06

Wheelchair women

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Position Athlete Nationality Time
1st place, gold medalist(s) Tatyana McFadden  United States 1:41:14
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Manuela Schär  Switzerland 1:43:56
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Amanda McGrory  United States 1:46:25
4 Sandra Graf  Switzerland 1:46:27
5 Susannah Scaroni  United States 1:47:06
6 Christie Dawes  Australia 1:56:20
7 Wakako Tsuchida  Japan 1:56:48
8 Chelsea McClammer  United States 2:02:31
9 Sarah Piercy  United Kingdom 2:20:45
10 Martyna Snopek  United Kingdom 2:26:40

References

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  1. ^ "London Marathon: Paula Radcliffe 'unprepared but healthy'". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  2. ^ Stats and Figures Archived 23 March 2020 at the Wayback Machine. London Marathon. Retrieved 2020-04-25.
  3. ^ London Marathon - Race Results. Marathon Guide. Retrieved 2020-04-25.
  4. ^ Virgin Mini London marathon 2015 results. London Marathon (2015). Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  5. ^ a b c d Justin Palmer, ed. (26 April 2015). "Kipchoge wins fierce London battle with Kipsan". Reuters. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "London Marathon 2015: Eliud Kipchoge takes men's race by surprise". The Guardian. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Eliud Kipchoge, Tigist Tufa win London Marathon". ESPN. Associated Press. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  8. ^ Ingle, Sean (25 April 2015). "Paula Radcliffe eyes only a personal victory in final London Marathon". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  9. ^ "London Marathon: Thousands take part in biggest race". BBC News. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  10. ^ a b c d e f Gareth Vipers (26 April 2015). "London Marathon 2015: 38,000 runners make this year's event the biggest ever as three-quarters of a million spectators turn out in support". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  11. ^ "Paula Radcliffe: Running London Marathon again was 'amazing'". BBC News. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  12. ^ a b "American Joshua George wins men's wheelchair race". ITV News. 25 April 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  13. ^ "Tatyana McFadden wins women's wheelchair marathon". ITV News. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  14. ^ "US racers Josh George, Tatyana McFadden and Raymond Martin claim marathon world titles in London". IPC Athletics. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  15. ^ "Three world records set at marathon World Championships". IPC Athletics. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
Results
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