Swiss double in wheelchair races at London Marathon: Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner emerge victorious

Switzerland’s Marcel Hug continued his dominance in the men’s wheelchair race at the London Marathon, claiming victory for the fourth consecutive year. The 38-year-old crossed the finish line in an impressive time of one hour 28 minutes and 35 seconds, securing his fifth win in London. American Daniel Romanchuk finished in second place, while British veteran David Weir took third in his 25th consecutive appearance at the event.

In the women’s wheelchair race, Switzerland’s Catherine Debrunner put on a dominant performance to clinch victory in a time of 1:38:54. Debrunner, who also won in London previously, led from the early stages of the race and finished more than six minutes ahead of her nearest competitor, fellow Swiss athlete Manuela Schar. Great Britain’s Eden Rainbow-Cooper, fresh off a win at the Boston Marathon, finished in seventh place with a time of 1:50:39.

Hug, who recently won the men’s race in Boston, faced stiff competition from Romanchuk in the first half of the London Marathon. However, the Swiss athlete managed to pull away from his rivals in the second half of the race, securing a comfortable victory.

The London Marathon made history by becoming the first marathon in the world to offer equal prize money for both wheelchair and non-disabled races. This year, all elite race winners will receive $55,000 (£43,500) in prize money, with payouts in US Dollars. The event continues to showcase the incredible talent and determination of wheelchair athletes from around the world.