British runner Emile Cairess secures Olympic qualification with historic finish at the London Marathon
Emile Cairess clinched third place at the 2024 London Marathon, marking one of the fastest marathon times by a Briton and securing his spot at the upcoming Paris Olympics. The event also saw a new women’s world record set by Peres Jepchirchir.
At the 2024 London Marathon, Britain’s Emile Cairess achieved a third-place finish with a time of 2:06:46, securing qualification for the Paris Olympics. The race took place in London, with Kenyan runner Alexander Mutiso Munyao winning the men’s event in 2:04:01, followed by Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele. Cairess’s performance was notable as he moved up from eighth to third place, marking the second fastest time by a Briton in marathon history, following Mo Farah.
In the women’s race, Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir from Kenya set a new women’s-only world record, finishing in 2 hours, 16 minutes, and 16 seconds, surpassing the previous record set by Mary Keitany in 2017. Tigst Assefa from Ethiopia finished second.
The marathon also made headlines for offering equal prize money to both able-bodied and wheelchair athletes, a first in the world of marathon racing. Each winner of the elite races received $55,000 from a total prize pot of $308,000. The race included over 50,000 participants and was broadcast live in the UK on the BBC.
Notable results in the wheelchair races included Switzerland’s Marcel Hug winning the men’s race and Catherine Debrunner taking victory in the women’s race. The 2024 London Marathon, maintaining its usual route through London’s iconic landmarks, emphasized sportsmanship and competitive spirit, showcasing outstanding performances across all categories.
