Hassan has won Olympic and world titles on the track, but her victory on the rainy roads of London today in her first marathon might be her best ever - and was certainly her most remarkable.

Just before the halfway point of this much-anticipated TCS London Marathon race involving what had been described as the greatest women’s field ever assembled, the 30-year-old Ethiopian-born Dutch runner, who has just finished fasting for Ramadan, looked ready to drop out as, grimacing and clutching her hip, she stopped a number of times to stretch her left leg.

She resumed however - and after catching a lead group that contained Kenya’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir, Ethiopia’s defending champion Yalemzerf Yehualaw and Ethiopia’s Alemu Megertu she sprinted clear down the last 100 metres of The Mall to finish in 2:18:34.

Kiptum, 23, made the fastest marathon debut last December when he won the Valencia Marathon in 2:01:53 to become the third-fastest man in history over the marathon distance, behind Kipchoge’s official world record of 2:01.09 and Bekele’s 2:01:41.

Now only Kipchoge, who was the official starter to this race, stands ahead of him.

That the targeted women-only world record of 2:17:01, set by Kenya’s Mary Keitany in London in 2017, was unbeaten scarcely mattered.

This was one of the most memorable and dramatic marathons ever witnessed, on a day when, thankfully, the event escaped being adversely affected by any of the environmental protests going on in the capital.

Before the race Hassan, whose track career has been a story of highs - 1500m and 10,000m gold at the 2019 World Championships, 5,000 and 10,000m gold and 1500m bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics - and lows - no medals at last year’s World Championships in Oregon - had spoken of being "nervous" for the previous month.

Which Hassan would turn up today?

Her comments offered no clues: "I am going to finish the marathon or the marathon is going to finish me…sometimes I wake up and think 'why the hell do I decide to run a marathon?'"

Now she knows.

"I will never forget this," she said.

"The crowd made me think I was really popular! 

"I'm so grateful to be in London and win. 

"I can't believe it.

"I was going to stop at 25km."

At that point Hassan was 28 seconds behind the leaders.

Asked when she believed she could actually win, Hassan replied: "When I crossed the line? 

"No way before. 

"When I woke up this morning I was telling myself I was stupid to run a marathon, and what is wrong with me. 

"I was so scared, I even cried. 

"Doing Ramadan made me not have confidence as I couldn't practice drinking. 

"But my coaches told me, you know how to drink!"

Her obvious uncertainty around picking up drinks almost got her run over by one of the race motorbikes at one point...

Following the withdrawal earlier this week of Britain’s Commonwealth 10,000m champion Eilish McColgan with a knee injury - among other things - the race lost a second high-profile figure as Kenya's world record holder Brigid Kosgei, who had spoken about suffering hamstring problems a few weeks ago, dropped out after just three minutes of running.

But this race lacked nothing in terms of talent or drama.

Mergertu was second in 2:18:37, with Jepchirchir one second behind her.

Yehualaw, 23, who became the youngest women's winner in London six months ago, faded to fifth in 2:18.53 as Kenya's Shelia Chepkirui came past her to finish two seconds faster.

Kiptum, finishing with an astounding negative split of 59min 47sec, crossed the line almost three minutes clear of his nearest challenger, compatriot Geoffrey Kamworor, who clocked 2:04:23, with Ethiopia's world champion Tamirat Tola third in 2:04:59 and his fellow countryman Leul Gebresilase fourth in 2:05:45.

Emile Cairess, 25, the European cross-country silver medallist, was the first Briton home in sixth place, recording 2:08:07 on his marathon debut.

Sir Mo Farah, running what he announced would be his final marathon at the age of 40, was ninth in 2:10:28, one place ahead of the fellow Briton he beat to European 10,000m gold in 2010, 42-year-old Chris Thompson, who recorded 2:11:50.

“I gave it my all but my body just wasn’t responding, and that’s when you know when it’s time to call it a day,” Farah told BBC Sport, after confirming he will end his career at September’s Great North Run.