The Mall, London, UNITED KINGDOM — Kenyan superstar Sabastian Sawe etched his name into sporting immortality on Sunday, becoming the first person to officially break the two-hour barrier in a competitive marathon.
Raced under perfect conditions, Sawe crossed the finish line at The Mall with a breathtaking world-record time of 1:59:30, successfully defending his London Marathon title and shattering the previous record of 2:00:35 held by the late Kelvin Kiptum.
The race transformed into a historic duel in the closing miles as Ethiopian debutant Yomif Kejelcha pushed Sawe to the limit.
Okay News reports that the intensity of the competition drove both men into uncharted territory, with Kejelcha also finishing under the previous world mark at 1:59:41—the fastest marathon debut in history. Sawe utilized a devastating kick in the final several hundred meters to pull clear of his rival and solidify his place as a legendary figure in distance running.
Double World Records
The historic nature of the day extended to the elite women’s race, where Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia also defended her crown in spectacular fashion. Assefa broke her own women’s-only world record, crossing the line in 2:15:41 after a fierce three-way battle with Kenyan rivals Hellen Obiri and Joyciline Jepkosgei. This “double-defense, double-record” outcome marks the 2026 London Marathon as arguably the most significant day in the history of the World Marathon Majors.
In the wake of his achievement, an emotional Sawe celebrated by holding up a trainer with his historic time written in pen.
