Yehualaw becomes youngest winner of London Marathon despite faceplant

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First she flew like superwoman. Then she ran like one. And, on the streets of London, a new star being born as 23-year-old Yalemzerf Yehualaw became the youngest ever winner of the London marathon.

What made the Ethiopians victory even more impressive was that she tripped up spectacularly on a sleeping policeman speed bump with six miles left. It sent her sprawling along the tarmac, and caused her to lose at least 25 metres on the field. Afterwards, Yehualaw confirmed the faceplant had caused a bump on her head, as well as hip and knee. “It hurt,” she said, smiling.

Yet Yehualaw picked herself up, got back in contention, and then destroyed a quality field with an electric burst to win in two hours, 17 minutes and 25 seconds – the third fastest time ever in the women’s race behind only Paula Radcliffe and Mary Keitany.

The decisive break came in the 24th mile which Yehualaw ran in an extraordinary 4:43 last year’s winner Joyciline Jepkosgei. Afterwards Yehualaw, who only ran her first competitive marathon in April in Germany, said: “I am so happy to win here in London. I have worked very hard to prepare for this race and to take the victory is amazing.”

The men’s race was run by Kenyan Amos Kipruto, who made his move in the Blackfriars tunnel to win in 2:04:39 to take his first marathon title after coming second to world record holder Eliud Kipchoge in Japan in March.

Without home favourite Mo Farah, who withdrew with a hip injury, andKipchoge absent after smashing his own marathon record in Berlin last week,the other big names fell away in the latter stages of the men’s race.

Veteran Kenenisa Bekele, the second fastest marathoner of all time and one of the greatest distance runners in history, dropped off the leading group as did last year’s champion, Ethiopian Sisay Lemma.

Kipruto’s title on debut in London never looked in doubt after that as he crossed the line well ahead of Ethiopian Leul Gebresilase in second followed by Somali-born Belgian Bashir Abdi in third. Bekele dug deep to finish fifth.