Maintaining their dominance over this event in recent years, Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei have won the respective men's and women's races at the London Marathon.
Running the second-fastest time ever recorded in the marathon, Kipchoge was a comfortable winner of this afternoon's race coming in at a time of 02:02:37.
For Kosgei, an impressive time of 02:18:20 was enough to see off a competitive field that could not keep the pace with the 25-year-old athlete.
Eight-months after setting the standing world-record time in Berlin, Kipchoge's time of 02:02:37 was enough to see off the two Ethiopian runners Mosinet Geremew (02:02:55) and Mule Wasihun (02:03:16).
His fourth such win at the London Marathon, Kipchoge's success assures that the Kenyan stranglehold on the men's event remains firm. Since Ethiopia's Gezahegne Abera won the marathon in 2003, only his national counterpart Tsegaye Kebede (2010, 2013) has broken up what has been a race exclusively going to Kenyan runners.
Although such dominance is not as far-reaching in the women's event, that Kosgei's win signals an eight Kenyan win in nine attempts hints that things may well be heading that way too.
Elsewhere, Irish-born athlete Sinead Diver assured herself of a place in the 2020 Olympic Games with a seventh-placed finish in the women's event.
The 42-year-old from Belmullet currently represents Australia, and her time of 02:24:11 signals a personal best for the athlete who had excitedly held an early lead in this morning's event.
For Britain's great hope Mo Farah, the track athlete turned marathon runner had to settle for a fifth-placed finish.
Speaking to the BBC post-race, Farah pin-pointed where he faltered after a strong start, before singling out Kipchoge for praise.
"I felt great with my start," Farah stated, "my aim was to follow the pacemaker, but after 20 miles when he dropped out, the gap opened up and it became hard to close."
"My aim was to try and reel them back but the wheels came off and I was hanging in there.
"[Eliud] is a very special athlete and he is humble. If Eliud can run those sort of times it just gives us another level of possibility.
"It's a different mindset chasing someone and it takes the pressure off me. Thank you to everyone who supported me and I promise I will be back."
Addressing an issue that had flavoured the build-up to this morning's London Marathon, Farah remained forthright when post-match talk turned to Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie.
"It didn't distract me at all," said Farah.
"What I said is the truth and it was all about the London Marathon today. I didn't mean to take any limelight away from the sport.
"I think I will just go home and spend time with my kids now. Had I won the race, it would have been a different story, but I think I will take time to think about the next step."
For more detail on that frankly bizarre story, watch the video below.
"He probably has travel insurance on a Rolex? If I'd a Rolex there'd be all types of insurance taken out on it" 😂
Looking at the frankly bizarre beef between Mo Farah & Haile Gebrselassie, @gergilroy & @starryboy14 have their say
Full papers 👉 https://t.co/sBSAA9LEDi pic.twitter.com/XxXhe4xbYg
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) April 25, 2019
