Peerless Jepkosgei is the new London Marathon champion

Former World Half Marathon record holderJoyciline Jepkosgei is the 2021 Virgin Money London Marathon champion.

Jepkosgei who opted not to defend her New York Marathon title for London clocked 2:17:42 to dethrone World record holder and Olympic silver medalist Brigid Kosgei who faded in the later stages of the race to finish fourth, thwarting her bid to become the second woman to win three back to back marathons after Katrin Dorre of Germany.

Jepkosgei's impressive time subsequently saw her become the seventh fastest woman in the marathon in history.Degitu Azimeraw of Ethiopia crossed the line fifteen seconds later, timing 2:17:58, while her compatriot Ashete Bekere was third on 2:17:18

Kosgei, who was competing 57 days after the Olympics was a favorite to clinch her third victory in the streets of London laid bare her intentions early as she among the large lead group that covered the first five kilometers in a blistering 16:21 minutes.

The number however dropped significantly at the 15km mark that was negotiated in 49:07 minutes, a time faster than that of Mary Keitany's women's only world record pace.

The pack sliced down to five, with Jepkosgei, Valary Jemeli and Kosgei all in alongside an Ethiopian duo of Azimeraw and Bekere all battling to win the 41st edition f the race that saw more than 400 000 athletes compete unlike last year where the elites raced with the rest being locked out as a precaution to the spread of coronavirus.

Israel's Lonah Salpeter was also in contention for the top spot but she could not match the pace of the rest and would finish fifth timing 2:18:54.

At the 35th kilometer mark, Jepkosgei who covered half of the race in 1:08:51 summoned her energies and broke from the quartet in a pace that her compatriots could not match. She maintained the pace that attracted Azimeraw and Bekere albeit from a distance and kept pushing to the tape to be crowned the new champion.

Jemeli finished sixth on 2:20:35 ahead of her compatriot Joan Chelimo Melly who clocked 2:21:23.