One of the African athletes who participated in Sunday’s London Marathon has disappeared, reports from London said.

Mami Konneh Lahun from Sierra Leone, was one of the women’s elite runners and finished the race in 20th place. The 24-year-old is due to fly home later today, but she did not return to her temporary accommodation in Greenwich, where she had been staying since April 7.

“Mami has no known links to the UK and is not in possession of a mobile phone,” Scotland Yard said.

Konneh Lahun, who won the Sierra Leone and Liberia marathons last year, is believed to be her country’s fastest-ever female 5,000m and 10,000m runner.

The London Marathon 2014, in which about 36,000 took part, witnessed a tragedy when a 42-year-old man died after finishing the race. Event organisers Virgin Money said the unidentified man collapsed after crossing the finish line and was given medical attention, but pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

They said in a statement: “(We) would like to express their sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

“We would like to emphasise that our immediate concern is for the family of the deceased. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them at this difficult time.”

Kenyan world record holder Wilson Kipsang won the men’s race in 2 hrs 4 mins and 29 secs, a course record, while home favourite Mo Farah came home almost four minutes back in 2 hrs 8 mins and 21 secs.

The women’s title was taken by Edna Kiplagat of Ethiopia, in a time of 2 hrs 20 mins and 21 secs.

The London Marathon also witnessed a tragedy in 2012, when 30-year-old hairdresser Claire Squires, from North Kilworth, Leicestershire, collapsed a mile from the finish line and died later from cardiac failure. A coroner later said that her death was probably the result of her having taken a legal performance-enhancing drug.

•Photo (inset missing runner Mami Konneh Lahun from Sierra Leone) is courtesy of London Evening Standard.

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