Monday 27 / April / 2026
LONDON-- Kenya's Sabastian Sawe clocked a winning time of one hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds in the 2026 London Marathon on Sunday, becoming the first man to run a marathon in under two hours.
The 31-year-old broke the previous world record of 2:00:35 held by the late Kelvin Kiptum, set at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.
Runner-up Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia also shattered the two-hour barrier in 1:59:41, while Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo took bronze in 2:00:28.
Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia broke her own women's only world record in 2:15:41, beating the record of 2:15:50 she set last year in London.
Kenyans Hellen Obiri and Joyciline Jepkosgei finished second and third, respectively.
No human is limited": Kipchoge hails historic sub-two-hour marathon
Sawe, who won last year's London Marathon in 2:02:27, raised the bar to unprecedented levels, turning a highly anticipated race into a landmark moment in distance running.
Two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge hailed the achievement as a defining moment for the sport. Taking to social media, Kipchoge, who himself ran 1:59:40 during the non-record-eligible INEOS 1:59 Challenge, praised the athletes for realizing a long-held dream.
“Seeing two athletes break the magical two-hour barrier at the London Marathon is proof that we are just at the beginning of what is possible when talent, progress, and an unwavering belief in human potential come together. My deepest congratulations to both Sabastian Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha,” Kipchoge wrote on Instagram.
“Breaking the sub-two-hour barrier in the marathon has long been a dream for runners everywhere, and today you've made that dream come true. During the INEOS 1:59 Challenge, we showed the world that it was possible, and it has always been my hope to see another athlete continue with this belief and break this magical barrier in a city marathon,” he added.
“Let this achievement inspire the next generation and remind everyone in the world that no human is limited,” he concluded.
