Sabastian Sawe of Kenya delivered a historic performance at the 2026 London Marathon, crossing the finish line in an astonishing 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds. His achievement not only shattered the previous men’s world record by a full 35 seconds, but also marked the first time a marathon has been completed in under two hours under official race conditions. The former record belonged to the late Kelvin Kiptum, who had set a time of 2:00:35 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.
Sawe’s relentless pace erased that benchmark, demonstrating the rapid evolution of elite long‑distance running. Throughout most of the 42.195‑kilometre course, Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha stayed within striking distance, matching Sawe’s rhythm mile after mile. However, in the final stretch—particularly during Sawe’s solo surge over the last two kilometres on The Mall, past the iconic Buckingham Palace—Kejelcha’s legs began to falter.
He ultimately finished second with a time of 1:59:41, an impressive debut marathon effort, while Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo secured the bronze medal in 2:02:28. When asked about his breakthrough, Sawe emphasized the significance of his run for the next generation of athletes. “It shows that a record is attainable for the new generation,” he said, adding that preparation and confidence were key.
“Everything is possible with time. I was ready today, well‑prepared for the London Marathon, and I’m thrilled because I had the courage to push even when the pace was brutal.” Kejelcha, who praised Sawe’s commitment to clean sport, highlighted the Kenyan’s proactive approach to anti‑doping measures. Sawe had voluntarily undergone 25 additional drug tests before his Berlin Marathon victory, a move Kejelcha said could set a valuable precedent.
“It’s very important for clean sport. Maybe I, for the future, will do the same thing.
I think it’s a great idea,” Kejelcha remarked. The sub‑two‑hour marathon has long been a symbolic goal for distance runners. In 2019, Kenyan legend Eliud Kipchoge completed a specially arranged "1.59 Challenge" in Vienna, finishing in 1:59:40. That event, however, took place on a flat six‑mile circuit with rotating pacemakers and was not recognized as an official race, meaning Kipchoge’s time did not enter the record books.
Sawe’s performance, by contrast, was achieved on a conventional road course, under typical race conditions, and therefore qualifies as the first official sub‑two‑hour marathon. Sawe’s time of 1:59:30 was recorded on a predominantly flat London route, benefitting from dry, sunny weather that helped maintain a steady, fast rhythm. Former London Marathon champion Paula Radcliffe, speaking for the BBC, noted the broader implications of the run: “The goalposts have literally just moved for marathon running.” To appreciate the magnitude of Sawe’s feat, it helps to look back at the progression of marathon records.
At the turn of the millennium, the world’s fastest men’s marathon time stood at 2:05:42, set by Khalid Khannouchi in Chicago in 1999. Khannouchi improved his own mark by four seconds in 2002—a record that still stood as the fastest time ever recorded in London. Over the past 24 years, a succession of Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes, including Haile Gebrselassie, Wilson Kipsang, Kipchoge, and most recently Kiptum, have gradually lowered the world best, culminating in Sawe’s breakthrough. On the women’s side, Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa defended her London Marathon crown, finishing in 2:15:41 and improving upon her own 2025 winning time of 2:15:50.
At 29 years old, Assefa pulled away from a strong Kenyan contingent—Hellen Obiri and Joyciline Jepkosgei—during the final kilometres, crossing the line 16 seconds slower than Paula Radcliffe’s mixed‑gender course record of 2:15:25 set in 2003. Obiri earned silver with a time of 2:15:53, while Jepkosgei took bronze in 2:15:55.
The wheelchair races also featured dominant performances. Switzerland’s Marcel Hug claimed his sixth consecutive, eighth overall victory in the men’s wheelchair division, further cementing his status as one of the sport’s all‑time greats. In the women’s wheelchair event, fellow Swiss athlete Catherine Debrunner out‑sprinted American Tatyana McFadden to secure her third straight London title. Sawe’s sub‑two‑hour marathon is more than a statistical milestone; it signals a new era of possibility for long‑distance running.
Advances in training methodology, nutrition, footwear technology, and race organization have converged to make what once seemed unattainable now a reality. As athletes continue to push the limits of human endurance, Sawe’s name will be remembered alongside the pioneers who dared to rewrite the script of marathon history.