Published: April 26, 2026 at 10:59 pm
On Sunday, two men, Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe and Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, achieved the unthinkable. Before the 2026 London Marathon, the two-hour men’s marathon barrier had never been broken under legal conditions. But history was shattered as two men crossed into the unthinkable sub-two-hour territory.
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe took the win in style, obliterating the world record to claim victory in a highly competitive race where the top three finishers all dipped under the previous world record. The 30-year-old crossed the finish line in 1:59:30, shaving 1 minute and 5 seconds off Kelvin Kiptum’s previous record of 2:00:35, set in 2023, and becoming the first man to run the marathon in under two hours.
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But his exclusive club had company after only 11 seconds, with Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha finishing the 42.2 kilometre course in 1:59:41 to take second place and join Sawe in the sub-two hour club. Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo claimed third in 2:00:28.
“I am so happy, it is a day to remember for me. We started the race well and approaching the end of finishing the race I was feeling strong. Reaching the Finish Line I saw the time and I was so excited to run a world record today,” a triumphant Sawe said after the race.
“I want to thank the crowds. They help a lot. You feel so happy and strong and pushing,” he also told the BBC. “What comes for me today is not for me alone but all of us in London.”
Sawe had won last year’s London Marathon in 2:02:27, and the talk before this year’s race had centered around breaking Kiptum’s course record which stood at 2:01:25. But with half marathon record holder Kiplimo and Kejelcha in the line up, Sawe knew something special was in the works.
“Yes. We started the race well. Approaching finishing the race, I was feeling strong. I remember my fellow champion lead was so competitive. I think he was the one who helped a lot. Coming to London for the second time was so important to me and that’s why I prepared well for it,” he said.
“Finally, what I had done for four months it has come today to be a good result. I’ve made history today in London, and for the next generation I’ve shown them that nothing is impossible. Everything is a possible, with a matter of time,” he added.
I’ve made history today in London, and for the next generation I’ve shown them that nothing is impossible. Everything is a possible, with a matter of time, said Sabastian Sawe. Pics: World Athletics & Social News XYZ
Eliud Kipchoge, the two-time Olympic marathon champion, took to social media to acknowledge the milestone, describing it as a “historic day for marathon running.”
Kipchoge was the first man to attempt a sub-two-hour marathon in the so-called “1:59 Challenge” in 2019. He succeeded, clocking 1:59:40 in Vienna, Austria, but the highly controlled conditions meant the time was not eligible for ratification as a world record.
Still, Kipchoge believes that moment helped prove to the world that a sub-two-hour marathon was always possible. “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,” Kipchoge wrote.
“My deepest congratulations to both Sabastian Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha. 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.
“Let this achievement inspire the next generation and remind everyone in the world that no human is limited,” he concluded.
