In a historic achievement for long-distance running, the two-hour marathon barrier has been officially broken in a single race, not by one but by two athletes. Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the London Marathon on Sunday with a time of 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, shattering the previous men's world record by an astonishing 65 seconds.
“What comes today is not for me alone,” the 29-year-old Sawe said, “but for all of us today in London.”
Just 11 seconds behind Sawe was Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha, who, in his marathon debut, also completed the 26.2-mile course in under two hours, finishing in 1:59:41. Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo completed the podium with a time of 2:00:28, breaking the previous world record set by Kenya's Kelvin Kiptum in Chicago in 2023 by seven seconds.
Sawe's performance was marked by a negative split, covering the second half of the race in 59 minutes and 1 second. He ran alongside Kejelcha until the 30-kilometer mark, then made a decisive solo break in the final two kilometers, sprinting along The Mall to thunderous applause.
A Day to Remember
Sawe, who successfully defended his London Marathon title, described it as a “day to remember for me” and credited the massive crowds lining the streets of the British capital for their support. “I think they help a lot,” he said, “because if it was not for them you don't feel like you are so loved ... with them calling, you feel so happy and strong.”
Under Two Hours: Unofficial Feats Preceded
Breaking two hours in a marathon has been a long-standing goal. Eliud Kipchoge achieved a time of 1:59:40 in Vienna in 2019, but that was in a specially arranged event called the “1.59 Challenge,” which featured favorable conditions, a 6-mile circuit, and rotating pacemakers. Because it was not an official race, Kipchoge's time was not recognized as a world record. Sawe's performance, however, surpassed that unofficial time by 10 seconds on a mostly flat London course under dry, sunny conditions.
“The goalposts have literally just moved for marathon running,” said Paula Radcliffe, a former London Marathon winner, during BBC commentary.
At the turn of the century, the world's best men's marathon time was 2:05:42, set by Khalid Khannouchi in Chicago in 1999. Khannouchi broke his own record by four seconds in 2002, the last time the fastest men's marathon was run in London. Over the next 24 years, the record was gradually lowered by a succession of Kenyan and Ethiopian runners, including Haile Gebrselassie, Wilson Kipsang, Kipchoge, and most recently Kiptum.
Assefa Wins Fastest-Ever Women's-Only Marathon
The women's race also saw a record, with Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa pulling away with about 500 meters remaining to win in 2:15:41, defending her title and achieving the fastest time in a women's-only marathon. However, it was 16 seconds slower than the course record set by Radcliffe in 2003 during a mixed race.
Kenya's Hellen Obiri finished second in a personal-best time of 2:15:53 on her London debut, and compatriot Joyciline Jepkosgei was third in 2:15:55. This marked the first time three women have run under 2 hours, 16 minutes in a single marathon.
“I screamed when I finished because I knew I was breaking the world record,” Assefa said. “I felt much healthier today and have worked really hard on my speed and all my training has paid off.”
Swiss Double in Wheelchair Races
In the wheelchair events, Switzerland's Marcel Hug powered to his sixth consecutive men's title and eighth overall, while compatriot Catherine Debrunner defeated Tatyana McFadden in a close finish to defend her women's title.
