Elisha Rotich, third left, set a new Paris Marathon record in the men's race, while Tigist Memuye, third right, won the women's race ©Getty Images

Kenya's Elisha Rotich set a new Paris Marathon record as he finished in 2 hours 4min 21sec to win the race in the French capital.

The event was cancelled last year for the first time since 1991 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Rotich beat the previous course record set by Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele by 43 seconds.

Bekele had clocked 2:05:04 in 2014.

The top five finishers all clocked quicker than the previous record, but Rotich was 19 seconds clear of Ethiopian Hailelmaryam Kiros in second in 2:04:40, with Hillary Kipsambu of Kenya a further second back in 2:04:41.

Kenyan Barselius Kipyego missed out on a place on the podium as he came fourth in 2:04:44, with Ethiopia's Abayneh Degu fifth in 2:04:51.

Elisha Rotich broke the Paris Marathon record by 43 seconds after finishing in 2:04:21 ©Getty Images
Elisha Rotich broke the Paris Marathon record by 43 seconds after finishing in 2:04:21 ©Getty Images

Ethiopia secured all three places on the podium in the women's race.

Tigist Memuye triumphed in 2:26:08 - the slowest winning time since 2006, but it still made for an exciting finish as she beat Yenenesh Dinkesa by just two seconds.

Fantu Jimma was third in 2:26:18, with fellow Ethiopian Waganesh Mekasha fourth in 2:26:35.

The women's record was set by Kenya's Purity Rionoripo with a time of 2:20:55 in 2017.

This year's route began on the Champs-Élysées, and took in several of Paris' landmarks before finishing on Avenue Foch with the Arc de Triomphe in sight.