CNN —It was billed as a race that would be harder to win than the Olympic marathon gold in Paris and the London Marathon’s elite women’s race did not disappoint as reigning Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir won a hugely competitive race and set a new women’s-only world record. The field had a clutch of runners who were capable of breaking the record but it was Jepchirchir who made history, finishing ahead of Ethiopia’s world record holder Tigst Assefa in a sprint finish. I was not expecting to run a world record. I’m happy too to be in Paris for the Olympic marathon. Before the race a tribute was paid to world record holder and 2023 winner Kelvin Kiptum, who died in a traffic accident near his home in Kenya earlier this year.

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Persons: Peres Jepchirchir, Mary Keitany, Jepchirchir, Tigst, Joyciline Jepkosgei, “, ” Jepchirchir, I’m, ” Alexander Mutiso Munyao, John Walton, Alexander Mutiso Munyao, Kenenisa Bekele, Emile Cairess, Kelvin Kiptum, Munyao, ”, Bekele, Marcel Hug, Catherine Debrunner Organizations: CNN, London, Olympic, Kenyan, BBC Sport Locations: Paris, jubilation, Kenya, ” Swiss