London Marathon 2021: Marcel Hug and Manuela Schar win wheelchair titles in record times

Switzerland's Marcel Hug and Manuela Schar both set course records as they won the men's and women's London Marathon wheelchair races.

Hug, who won the Paralympic marathon and three other golds in the summer, broke away from 2019 champion Daniel Romanchuk at 13 miles.

The 35-year-old won in one hour 26 minutes and 27 seconds, with Great Britain's David Weir finishing third.

Schar was an emphatic winner of the women's race in 01:39.52.

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The 36-year-old, who has now won the race three times including its last staging on the traditional street course in 2019, broke clear around the five-mile mark.

Last year, Schar was narrowly beaten by the Netherlands' Nikita den Boer on a Covid-enforced looped course around St James's Park, but it was clear that 2021 would have a very different look both in the route and outcome.

With a clear lead, her sights switched to improving on her own course record and she duly beat it by five seconds after pushing hard in the home straight.

Earlier, Hug had also finished in glorious isolation on the Mall, claiming a new course record of his own and a third London victory.

Britain's Weir, an eight-time winner of the race, had admitted in the build-up that Hug and American Romanchuk, who came second, were in a "different universe".

But the Londoner ensured he would be the best of the rest as he won a thrilling sprint duel with Canada's 2020 winner Brent Lakatos in the final 100m.

"It's good to be back on the old course and having the crowd supporting you," said Weir.

"It gives you an extra boost along the course. It's my 22nd marathon in a row. I don't know how many more I'm going to do now."