Andersson is the only runner to have won the race five times, having previously come in first in four consecutive years between 2008 and 2011. Her end time on Saturday was 2:33:49.

“It was unexpected, but I took off on my own and ran at my own speed. It was tough to run by myself the whole time, but the weather was great and there was a great audience. I am very pleased. I am very grateful to God today,” Andersson told Sweden’s TV4.

Gerbaba claimed the first place in the men’s race with a time of 2:16:13. It was his second victory since 2011.

But he was not overly pleased with his performance, telling reporters that he had hoped for a better result.

“I hope to come back and improve the time,” Gerbaba told TV4.

In the men’s race, the best Swede, and Swedish Championship gold winner, was Gothenburg-based Mustafa Mohamed. He came fourth, crossing the finishing line at 2:20:08.

The best result in the 35-year history of the Stockholm Marathon was achieved by the Brit Hugh John, who in 1983 came in at 2:11:37.

A record number of runners completed the Stockholm Marathon this year, with 94 percent of the 16,744 registered participants crossing the finishing line at the capital’s 1912 Olympic Stadium.

Before the event, David Fridell, head of communications for the Stockholm Marathon, told tabloid Aftonbladet that security had been a top priority in light of the recent terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon.

“There are no indications of a heightened threat level in Sweden and we are well-equipped… We have had meetings with the police, traffic and health authorities and we have discussed different aspects of the security question,” Fridell said.

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