LONDON, April 18 (UPI) -- Evans Rutto of Kenya, who won the Chicago marathon last year in his debut marathon run, survived a fall and rain Sunday to win his first London Marathon.
Rutto broke away at 23 miles to finish in 2:02:18.
Fellow Kenyan Sammy Korir matched Rutto step-for-step until Rutto's fall on the wet cobblestones brought both Kenyans down, but Korir made second place. World champion Jaouad Gharib of Morocco finished third.
Rutto slipped on the cobblestones alongside the Tower of London and crashed into a barrier bringing down Korir. Both runners got to their feet slowly, but Rutto recaptured his rhythm and pulled away from Korir, the BBC reported.
"It feels great to be champion of London," said Rutto, who had cuts on his knees from the fall.
The defending champion, Ethiopia's Gezahegne Abera, dropped out with a recurrence of an Achilles tendon injury.
