Eliud Kipchoge Finishes Sixth In London Marathon
Kipchoge, one of the sport’s greatest icons, stayed with the lead group for much of the race. However, as the pace picked up in the final stages, the younger athletes broke away, leaving him behind.
Viral Tea Ke Writer 
40-year-old legendary marathoner Eliud Kipchoge finished sixth in the London Marathon on Sunday, April 27, 2025, not the best end he would have wanted for possibly his last major race.
The Kenyan marathoner, reaching the twilight of his illustrious career, however, defeated some big names in a marathon that was dominated by his Kenyan rival, Sabastian Sawe, who crushed it with a world-leading time of 2:02:28 — and get this, it was only Sawe’s second-ever 42km marathon.
Kipchoge, one of the sport’s greatest icons, stayed with the lead group for much of the race. It wasn’t long before the race favourites, including Sawe and Kipchoge, separated themselves from the main pack.
Sabastian Sawe in action at the 2025 London Marathon. /ATHLETICS WEEKLY
Impressively, Kipchoge — whose last London Marathon victory came in 2019 — managed to stay with the younger frontrunners for a significant portion of the race.
The decisive moment came about 90 minutes into the race, when Sawe made a bold move. Forgoing a scheduled drink station, he surged ahead, creating a significant gap between himself and the chase pack.
His 35km split was a remarkable 1:41:43, and his projected finish time began to tumble the deeper he pushed into the race. At that point, it was clear the Kenyan was on track for at least a top-two finish.
By the finish, Sawe had recorded an extraordinary 2:02:27 — one of the fastest times ever at the London Marathon. Already the fastest debutant in history, Sawe dismantled a world-class field with a blistering 2:40-per-kilometre split and never looked back.
The 29-year-old beat Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, who followed in second with 2:03:37, while Alexander Mutiso Munyao secured third in 2:04:20.
Kipchoge finished behind two more runners — Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands, who placed fourth with 2:04:20, and Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola, who took fifth in 2:04:42.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa dominated, winning with a time of 2:15:30. Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei delivered a strong performance to claim second in 2:18:43, while Dutch Olympic champion Sifan Hassan settled for third with a 2:18:59 finish.
This year’s London Marathon saw over 56,000 participants, including international celebrities, making it one of the largest fields in the event’s history.
Take Note
Running a professional marathon at 40 is no small achievement, but Kipchoge isn’t the oldest elite runner to compete at the London Marathon.
To join the ranks of the oldest marathoners, the Kenyan legend would need to keep racing well into his late 40s. Similarly, Hugh Jones — the 1988 London Marathon champion — remained competitive at a high level deep into his 40s.
