Kenya’s Sawe is world’s first man to run a sub-two-hour marathon in London | Athletics
Sawe Sets New Marathon Record in Historic London Victory
London, April 26, 2026 — Sabastian Sawe of Kenya made history on Sunday by becoming the first man to complete a marathon in under two hours, finishing the London Marathon in 1:59:30. His performance shattered the previous world record of 2:00:35, held by the late Kelvin Kiptum since the Chicago Marathon in October 2023.
The 31-year-old Sawe, who has remained undefeated in his marathon career, surpassed Kiptum’s mark by 65 seconds. Ethiopian runner Yomif Kejelcha finished second in his marathon debut, clocking in at 1:59:41, while Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo took third place with a time of 2:02:28. All three athletes finished below the previous record, marking a significant milestone in marathon history.
“I was feeling strong toward the end of the race,” Sawe said. “Reaching the finish line and seeing the time, I was so excited to realize I had run a world record today.”
Kelvin Kiptum tragically died in a car crash in Kenya in 2024 at the age of 24.
In the women’s division, Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa defended her title, winning with a time of 2:15:41, which also broke her previous record set last year on the same course. Assefa’s victory was achieved after a competitive three-way race against Kenyan athletes Hellen Obiri and Joyciline Jepkosgei, with Obiri finishing second in 2:15:53, just two-hundredths of a second ahead of Jepkosgei.
The women’s world record, set in a mixed race format, currently stands at 2:09:56, recorded by Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich at the Chicago Marathon in October 2024. Chepngetich is currently serving a three-year doping ban, although previous records remain validated.
In the wheelchair division, Switzerland’s Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner emerged victorious. Hug claimed his sixth consecutive London Marathon title and eighth overall, while Debrunner secured her third consecutive win, narrowly defeating American Tatyana McFadden.
The 2026 London Marathon witnessed remarkable performances, underscoring significant achievements for the athletes involved.
