Mary Keitany breaks women-only world record to win London Marathon

Keitany celebrates. Credit: PA

Kenya's Mary Keitany set a new world record to win the women's London Marathon as Britain's David Weir won a record seventh wheelchair title.

Keitany broke Paula Radcliffe's 12-year women's only marathon record to post two hours and 17 minutes.

The 37-year-old Weir had earlier clinched victory on Sunday in one hour 31 minutes and six seconds after a sprint finish to beat defending champion Marcel Hug by just a second.

Weir, taking part for an 18th consecutive year, won the Paris Marathon earlier this month and sealed victory in London for the first time since 2012.

Rafael Botello Jimenez was third after a dramatic finish on The Mall as Weir passed Tanni Grey-Thompson's six victories.

Six-time Paralympic champion Weir had hinted he was ready to postpone retirement to continue to focus on road racing after he walked away from Team GB following last year's disappointing Paralympics.

Soon after Weir's victory Keitany crossed the line, having broken away from the pack after just five kilometres.

She also set a new course record as she beat Radcliffe's previous women's only record of two hours 17 minutes and 42 seconds, set at the London Marathon in 2005.

Radcliffe still holds the women's world record of 2:15.25, set at the London Marathon in 2003, when she ran against men and women.

Keitany beat Ethiopia's Tirunesh Dibaba, who finished second, after Dibaba began to struggle on the Embankment, even stopping at one point as she appeared to clutch her stomach.

Alyson Dixon was the first British runner across the line, finishing 12th to seal her spot in GB's squad for the summer's World Championships as five-time Olympian Jo Pavey dropped out after 16 miles.

In the women's wheelchair race Switzerland's Manuela Schar took the title for the first time.