The Kenyan duo of Alexander Munyao and Peres Jepchirchir won London Marathon men's and women's titles respectively on Sunday.

Alexander Mutiso Munyao of Kenya celebrates winning the men's elite race at 2024 London Marathon in London, Britain, April 21, 2024. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua)

Jepchirchir ran side by side for almost the whole course with world record holder Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia as well as former London Marathon winner Joyciline Jepkosgei. But the 30-year-old pushed herself forward with a few hundred meters to go, winning a tight race in 2:16:16.

Assefa, who had set a new world record of 2:11:53 at last year's Berlin Marathon, finished second in 2:16:23, while Kenya's Jepkosgei took bronze, one second behind.

Jepchirchir's result was much slower than Assefa's world record, but it was the fastest time ever in a women-only marathon, beating the mark of 2:17:01 set by Mary Keitany in London in 2017. The elite women's field in London started around 30 minutes ahead of the elite men.

"I was not expecting to beat the world record. I knew we would beat it but I was not expecting it to be me," said Jepchirchir after the race.

The Kenyan has now set her target to defend her Olympic title in Paris this summer. "I know it is not going to be easy but I will try my best."

In the men's elite race, Munyao smashed Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele's dream of winning his first London Marathon title, as the 27-year-old Kenyan led the race solely with about three kilometres to go until dashing to the finishing line first in 2:04:01.

41-year-old Bekele, who had won three Olympic golds and five world championship titles over 5,000m and 10,000m, took second place in 2:04:15, followed by local runner Emile Cairess in 2:06:46.