Sabastian Sawe’s historic run marks the first time anyone has officially completed a marathon in under two hours. He broke the men’s marathon world record at the London Marathon, finishing in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds. This achievement surpasses the previous record of 2:00:35, held by Kelvin Kiptum.
Sawe’s performance was remarkable. He became the first person to run the marathon distance legally in under two hours. Yomif Kejelcha finished second in 1:59:41, also under two hours, while Jacob Kiplimo took third place with a time of 2:00:28.
Sawe’s average pace was impressive — 4:33 per mile. He maintained an average speed of 13.16 mph throughout the race. His second half marathon split was recorded at 59 minutes and 1 second, faster than the American record of 59:17.
In addition to his world record, Sawe has now won all four major marathons he has raced. He retained his title in London, becoming the first man to do so since Eliud Kipchoge in 2018 and 2019.
Tigst Assefa also made headlines by winning the women’s elite race in a time of 2:15:41, breaking her own women’s-only marathon world record. Sawe expressed his happiness after crossing the finish line.
“Of course, approaching the finishing line, always there is a lot — it’s a matter of being strong and my mind was ready,” he said. “Finally, what comes today was good.”
He added, “What comes today is not for me alone, but for all of us today in London.” His achievement resonates beyond individual success; it highlights the prowess of Kenyan athletes on the global stage.
This world record comes nearly seven years after Eliud Kipchoge ran the first sub-two-hour marathon at a staged event in Vienna. The evolution of marathon running continues to inspire many.
