Mutai clocked 2 hours 4min 40sec to break the previous mark, set by compatriot Sammy Wanjiru two years ago, by 30 seconds, to earn $130,000 (£80,000) in prize money and bonuses.

The World Championship silver medallist is now the fourth fastest man in history and firmly established as one of the favourites for next year's Olympics in London when the race will finish, like this event, in front of Buckingham Palace.

Mutai, 26, was prominent in a tightly bunched leading group tracking the two pacemakers until the 30 kilometres mark when he made his move in an event that been set on its way by Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin. 

The race quickly resolved into a battle for the minor placings with three times champion Martin Lel outsprinting fellow-Kenyan Patrick Makau to take second place. Both men were given the same time of 2:05:45.

"My dream has come true," said Mutai, who finished second last year.

"Between 36 and 38 kilometres it was a little difficult but I just tried to push it and in the end I managed it."


Mutai's compatriot, Mary Keitany, the world half-marathon record holder, broke from the field at the halfway stage to win the women's race in 2:19:19, a ten minute improvement on her debut performance in New York City last November.

The only previous Kenyan double in London was in 2004 when Evans Rutto won the men's race and Margaret Okayo finished first in the women's.

Keitany relegated defending champion Liliya Shobukhova of Russia into second in 2:20:15, with Kenya's Edna Kiplagat in third in 2:20.46.

"I am happy because I won the race," said Keitany, a 29-year-old from Kisok.

"I decided to go at my own pace at 21k. I think I surprised myself as I was with last year's winner [Shobukhova].

"I was scared at first but as we continued to move I believed in myself."

Exeter's Jo Pavey enjoyed a solid marathon debut, finishing 19th in 2:28:23, comfortably inside the qualifying times for both this year's World Championships in Daegu and next year's London Olympics.

"The first half felt quite slow but the second half was awful really, I enjoyed it and I know I've got a lot to learn," said Pavey.

"From here I need to think about longer sustained runs.

"I know what I've got to do and I need to go away and do them.

"All-in-all I'm very pleased."

Louise Damen also achieved the British Olympic qualifying time, producing an impressive sprint finish as she narrowly failed to to dip under the two-and-a-half-hour mark - crossing in a time of 2:30:00.

"I didn't know it was going to be so close - I didn't realise I was going to have dip for the line in a marathon," said the 28-year-old from Winchester.

In the men's event, Guernsey's Lee Merrien was the top finisher in 2:14:25, which placed him in 14th. 

Fife's Andrew Lemoncello, the top British marathon runner of last year, badly struggled in the closing stages of the race but held on for 15th place in 2:15:24.

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