Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge, center, looks down after crossing the line in eighth place and behind Ethiopia's Shura Kitata, left, who won the London Marathon in London, England, Oct 4, 2020. (RICHARD HEATHCOTE / POOL PHOTO VIA AP)

LONDON - Eliud Kipchoge, the world record holder of the men's marathon, failed to defend his London Marathon title on the rain-soaked looped course in St James's Park on Sunday, as Ethiopian Shura Kitata won the race in 2 hours 5 minutes and 41 seconds.

Four-time winner Kipchoge from Kenya was expected to clinch the victory comfortably as his archrival Kenenisa Bekele announced his withdrawal from the event due to a calf injury on Friday.

Eliud Kipchoge suffered a rare defeat at the London Marathon, finishing in the eighth place, while Ethiopia's Shura Kitata won the race in 2 hours 5 minutes and 41 seconds

The 38-year-old Bekele won the Berlin Marathon last year in 2:01:41, only two seconds short of Kipchoge's world record, which he set on the same course in 2018.

However, the 35-year-old Kipchoge was dropped from the leading pack with about three kilometers to go, finishing in the eighth place.

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Kitata, 24, managed to dash to the finishing line first, one second before Kenya's Vincent Kipchumba.

Kitata's compatriot Sisay Lemma was three seconds further back to finish third.

"All the time I kept myself in the back to attack when I needed to," said Kitata. "When I went, I tried to push the pace more than before. I went into the last lap to beat the others."

Earlier in the women's race, the world record holder Brigid Kosgei defended her title in 2:18:58.

READ MORE: Kosgei cruises to London Marathon win in the rain

The 40th edition of the London Marathon was rescheduled from its traditional April date due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was only eligible for elite runners over 19 laps around St James's Park.