Assefa sets women’s only record to win London Marathon women’s race after late breakaway
LONDON: Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia took advantage of the warm weather to pull away late for her first London Marathon title on Sunday, setting a record time for a women’s-only race in the process. Assefa made up for second-place finishes in London and the Paris Olympics last year by pulling away from Joyciline Jepkosgei near the end to finish in 2 hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds. It was the fastest ever time in a women’s-only marathon — but 25 seconds slower than the course record set by Paula Radcliffe in 2003 when it was a mixed race. Peres Jepchirchir had set the previous women’s only record of 2:16:16 when she won in London last year ahead of Assefa.