London Marathon 2024 results: Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner win wheelchair races
- Published
It was a Swiss double in the wheelchair races with victories for Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner
Switzerland's Marcel Hug surged to victory in the men's wheelchair race at the London Marathon for the fourth year in a row.
The 38-year-old crossed the line in one hour 28 minutes and 35 seconds for his fifth win in London.
American Daniel Romanchuk finished second with Briton David Weir, in his 25th consecutive appearance, third.
Catherine Debrunner, also of Switzerland, dominated the women's wheelchair race to win in 1:38:54.
Victory was Debrunner's second in London and she led from very early on, soon putting a gap between herself and her rivals as she went on to finish more than six minutes in front of fellow countrywoman Manuela Schar in second.
"I am really happy about the win and that we [her and men's winner Hug] could do it together is even better," Debrunner told BBC Sport.
"It was really tough, the wind was all the time. It was a little race against the wind and if you have to do it all on your own it is really long."
Great Britain's Eden Rainbow-Cooper, who won the Boston Marathon last week, came sixth in 1:50:39.
London Marathon: women's wheelchair race results
1. Catherine Debrunne (Sui) - 1:38:54
2. Manuela Schar (Sui) - 1:45:00
3. Tatyana McFadden (USA) - 1:45:51
Meanwhile, Hug, who won the men's race in Boston, had Romanchuk for company throughout the first half of the race in London.
The pair appeared to have moved clear of the rest of the field but Weir and Japan's Tomoki Suzuki reeled them in.
However, Hug had enough left in the tank to drop his competitors in the second half of the race to win comfortably.
"It was a really amazing race but it was also really tough. The conditions were tough, there was a lot of wind. I tried many times to break away and it finally happened," Hug told BBC Sport.
"So many great memories here, some tight finishes. I was lucky today I could go away a little bit earlier. The crowd is always amazing. For us, it's really amazing."
London Marathon: men's wheelchair race results
1. Marcel Hug (Sui) - 1:28:35
2. Daniel Romanchuk (USA) - 1:29:06
3. David Weir (GB) - 1:29:58
The London Marathon has become the first marathon in the world to offer equal prize money for wheelchair and non-disabled races.
This year, winners in all elite races will receive $55,000 (£43,500) with prize money awarded in US Dollars.