Before London, Hassan, Olympic champion in the 5,000m and 10,000m in Tokyo in 2021 (a historic spoil embellished with a bronze medal in the 1,500m), had never run the distance and, before starting the outdoor track and field athletics season, came to test herself with a view to the Paris Games next year.

Kiptum had already impressed by becoming the third best performer in history (2:01.53) in his first marathon, in Valencia in December. Only the legendary Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele had better times.

This time, under the drizzle and in the greyness, he was even faster than in Valencia (2:01:25), failing just 16 seconds off the world record of the one who is considered the best marathoner in history, his compatriot Eliud Kipchoge (2:01:09), set in September 2022 in Berlin.

But this brand now seems very threatened by this new Kenyan phenomenon, only 23 years old, who seems determined not to forbid anything. Not even the mythical two-hour mark: Kiptum signed a second half of the race in cannon fire (59:47).

Very comfortable at the beginning of the race, he placed a violent acceleration after 1h30 of racing. It immediately gave him several steps ahead of the rest of the leading group who withered away and from where Bekele had been quickly ejected.

Kelvin Kiptum crosses the finish line of the London Marathon, April 23, 2023 © JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP

The Kenyan finished far ahead of his compatriot Geoffrey Kamworor and Ethiopian Tamirat Tola, world champion in the discipline.

A first masterpiece

This coup d'éclat came after a first masterpiece, the one signed by Hassan. At 30 years old, the Dutchwoman is already a legend of athletics, on the track. But she was making her marathon debut and no one really knew what she had to offer.

On the women's side, after the retirement in the first minutes of the winner in 2019 and 2020 and world record holder, Kenyan Brigid Kosgei, the race seemed open. But at the start of the race, Hassan looked more of a curiosity than a real favorite against much more experienced runners, such as Kenyan Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir.

After an hour of running, she even seemed to stall, forced to slow down to stretch at the left hip, falling a little behind the leading group. But she hung on and without forcing, she gradually made her delay to take back the four leading women, taking advantage of a weakening tempo in front.

Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands wins the London Marathon on April 23, 2023 © JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP

At 500 meters from the line, she was battling with Ethiopian Alemu Megertu (2nd) and Jepchirchir (3rd), but the superior top speed of this track specialist made her the most obvious candidate for the sprint victory. His last acceleration left no chance for Megertu and Jepchirchir, to allow him to finish the line in a respectable time (2h18:33).

"I never thought I'd finish it and I not only finished but I won," Hassan told the BBC minutes after his arrival.

"It's just amazing, I'll never forget that in my life. I had so much fun. Everyone told me the marathon hurt, but I felt really good, even after 5km or 15km. When I saw the finish line, I thought + is it already there?+", she said.

© 2023 AFP