In his 22nd career marathon, Eliud Kipchoge placed sixth at the 2025 London Marathon with a time of 2:05:25.
The 40-year-old Kenyan was the top finisher in the masters division, though he fell short of Kenenisa Bekele’s masters world record of 2:04:15 set in London last year.
The men’s race was won by Sabastian Sawe in 2:02:27, followed by Jacob Kiplimo (2:03:37) and defending champion Alexander Munyao (2:04:20).
Kipchoge’s performance in London was a positive rebound after a difficult 2024 season. He struggled in the Tokyo Marathon, finishing 10th—his worst result in a World Marathon Major—and later withdrew from the Paris Olympics due to a waist injury.
However, in London, Kipchoge returned to form, positioning himself at the front of the lead pack early in the race. He passed the half marathon mark in 1:01:31 (2:03:01 pace) and even led the group for several miles after the pacers dropped out.
As the race progressed, Sawe and Hillary Kipkoech surged ahead, leaving Kipchoge to lose contact but never fully falter. At 30K, he was in ninth place but worked his way up in the final 12K to secure sixth.
Though Kipchoge’s marathon career may be winding down, it remains one of the most impressive in history.
Since his marathon debut in 2013, he has won 11 World Marathon Majors, broken the world record twice, and earned two Olympic gold medals in the 2016 and 2020 Games.
He also became the first person to break the 2-hour barrier with his 1:59:40 run at the Ineos 1:59 Challenge, although the event was not eligible for official records.
Kipchoge has had great success in London, winning the race in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019, though he placed eighth in 2020.
Looking ahead, Kipchoge will now focus on the Sydney Marathon on August 31, marking his debut in the race, which has become a World Marathon Major this year.
