Kenya's Sabastian Sawe produced a blistering performance to beat a star-studded field and win the men's London marathon in a time of 2hr 02min 27sec on Sunday.

The 29-year-old, who won the Valencia marathon last December, came home alone in blazing sunshine ahead of Uganda's world half-marathon record holder Jacob Kiplimo.

Defending champion Alexander Mutiso Munyao, also a Kenyan, edged Abdi Nageeye for third in a photo finish while four-time champion Eliud Kipchoge finished sixth.

At the halfway mark the lead group, which included Kipchoge, Olympic champion Tamirat Tola and Kiplimo, timed outside world record pace at 1:01:30.

Decisive break

Kipchoge, though, was dropped as the runners approached the 90-minute mark.

It was at the drinks station shortly after that that Sawe made the decisive break. Unlike the others, he did not take a drink and stole a march on them.

Kiplimo was caught unawares as he was at the back of the group, but the 24-year-old battled through to suggest his day will come.

Sawe, though, never had a concern from that moment on, looking fresh as a daisy as he broached the winner's tape on the Mall in the shadow of Buckingham Palace.