In a landmark moment for long-distance running, Sabastian Sawe has become the first athlete in history to complete a marathon in under two hours in an official competitive race. He achieved the feat at the London Marathon on April 26, 2026.
The 30-year-old Kenyan crossed the finish line in an astonishing time of 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds, setting a new world record. In doing so, Sawe surpassed the previous record of 2:00:35 set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2023.
Although Eliud Kipchoge famously ran a marathon in under two hours in 2019, that effort was not officially recognized as a world record because it took place under controlled conditions rather than in open competition.
Sawe maintained a world-record pace early in the race, reaching the halfway mark in 1:00:29. He then accelerated further in the second half, ultimately surpassing even Kipchoge’s unofficial benchmark.
The race also saw another historic performance, as runner-up Kejelcha became the second athlete to break the two-hour barrier in a competitive marathon, finishing in 1:59:41.
Reacting to his achievement, Sawe told the BBC, “It feels incredible. I’m very happy. This is a memorable day for me.”
This milestone is widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements in the history of athletics, pushing the boundaries of human endurance and performance.
