London Marathon 2025: Things You May Have Missed!

The 2025 TCS London Marathon was a day of record-breaking performances. While the elites take the headlines, many more stories play out on the streets on London. Here are all the things you may have missed from the London Marathon. 

Here’s the race report about the winners of the 2025 London Marathon.

THE LARGEST MARATHON EVER!

The 2025 London Marathon has broken the world record for the most finishers in a marathon.

The number to beat was 55,646, set by the 2024 New York Marathon, and at around 6.30pm on race day that number had been surpassed – with more runners still to finish. 

The official number of finishers at the 2025 London Marathon was 56,640 – almost 1,000 more than New York.

Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events, said: “The TCS London Marathon is the world’s greatest marathon, and it is now officially the world’s biggest marathon. It is difficult to put into words the emotions of today.”

41 WORLD RECORDS AT THE LONDON MARATHON!

As well as the most finishers, there were 41 Guinness world records set in the 2025 London Marathon. There was likely also a record for the number of fans lining the streets of London to support the runners. 

You can see all the world records broken at the London Marathon including the record-breaking times. 

A NEW WOMEN’S ONLY WORLD RECORD

One of those 41 world records was Tigst Assefa’s winning time of 2:15:50, which was a new women’s only world record. 

To qualify as a women’s only world record, the women have to have a separate start to the men (in London they begin 30 minutes earlier) and only use female pace makers. 

Ethiopia’s Assefa and the lead pack of women ran through halfway in 1:06:40, which was well inside Paula Radcliffe’s course record time of 2:15:25, but that pace proved a little too quick on a hot day in London. 

Assefa’s time was the 10th fastest women’s marathon in history, and she has now run three of the top 10 times. 

SABASTIAN SAWE SHOWS HIS INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL

Sabastian Sawe has run two marathons and both of them have been 2:02. He has now run the eighth and 10th fastest marathons of all time, and is ranked fifth overall on the all time list.

After running the second-fastest debut marathon in Valencia last year, there was a lot of expectation on Sawe. He made a devastating move by running a 4:18 for mile 20, and continued to extend his lead over the next six miles. His time was the second-fastest ever seen at the London Marathon. 

THE MEN’S MARATHON WORLD RECORD WATCH BEGINS

As Sabastian Sawe made his move, one of the only men to try and go with him was Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo. The half marathon world record was running his first marathon and finished second in 2:03 with a big smile on his face.

In pre-race press conferences it seemed Kiplimo wanted to run this race to understand the marathon before seeing what he might be able to achieve. After his first race it seems like he might be able to achieve a lot. 

So now we have Sawe and Kiplimo, plus Chicago and Boston Marathon winner John Korir, who announced his plans to target the marathon world record later this year.

Between them the men’s marathon looks set for a very exciting few years ahead so watch out for some fast times in Berlin, Chicago and Valencia later this year! 

MIXED RESULTS FOR BRITS

Eilish McColgan finished eighth in 2:24:25 in her marathon debut, finishing as first British woman and breaking the Scottish record, plus she took the McColgan family marathon personal best by beating her mum’s (Liz McColgan) marathon personal best.

Rose Harvey (2:25:01) and Phily Bowden (2:30:28) were second and third Brits, and ninth and 11th overall. 

For the men, the first Brit was Mahammed Mahammed, who finished ninth in 2:08:50, a little further down the field than his superb fourth in last year’s race.

Triathlete Alex Yee finished 14th overall in 2:11:06 in his first marathon, and was second Brit, with Weyney Ghebresilase third Brit. Olympian Phil Sesemann fought for a 2:14:46 and 20th place.

THE FASTEST YOUTUBER AT THE LONDON MARATHON?

Who would be the fastest YouTuber at the London Marathon? The top contenders included Phily Bowden, Ben Felton, Cole Gibbens and Ben Parkes.

Cole Gibbens takes the fastest YouTuber crown this year in a superb debut marathon of 2:16:52 to finish 25th overall and second non-elite.

THE WINNING SHOES

Adidas has had a great start to year and of the first three World Marathon Majors, their athletes have between them achieved three first places, one second and and three third. The recently-released adidas Pro Evo 2 is responsible for four of those medals. 

A few Nike athletes, including Sifan Hassan and Eliud Kipchoge, were wearing the latest development of the Alphafly franchise – it’s a shoe we don’t know much about, yet. It looks very similar to Alphafly 3 

The winning shoes at the 2025 London Marathon. 

If you’re inspired to run yourself, then here’s how to enter the London Marathon.

Lead image ©TCS London Marathon