Assefa won with a high-class time of 2:15:50 after sprinting away from Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei at the end.
It was 25 seconds slower than Paula Radcliffe's course record from 2003, and a good bit behind Ruth Chepngetich's world record of 2:09:56. Assefa has a personal best of 2:11:53, from Berlin 2023.
It was still a world record.
No woman has, after all, completed a marathon faster in a race where women run alone, i.e. without male pacemakers or elite runners on the men's side that the best female runners can run with. The previous record was held by Peres Jepchirchir (2:16:16) from last year's London Marathon.
The men's race was won by Sebastian Sawe, who also delivered a top time: 2:02:27. The 29-year-old Kenyan made a decisive move with half an hour of running left – when his competitors slowed down to drink water – and never let go.
Second place went to Jacob Kiplimo, the world record holder in the half-marathon who now made his debut on the double distance. The Ugandan finished in 2:03:37.
