In the books! Guinness World Records officially recognises Sawe and Assefa as marathon history makers
By Luke Oluoch, April 26, 2026Kenyan marathoner Sabastian Sawe has become a new entry in the next edition of the Guinness Book of World Records following his feat in the 2026 London Marathon on Sunday, April 26, 2026.
Moments after the Kenyan athlete smashed the previous record set by his compatriot, Kelvin Kiptum’s run in Chicago in 2023, the Guinness World Records handed over the Guinness World Record title to Sawe, who, alongside Ethiopian Tigst Assefa, became the new entries in the latest record-breaking feats to be ratified.
“Legends only. Congratulations to Tigst Assefa and Sabastian Sawe on their incredible runs! #londonmarathon LondonMarathon,” the statement from Guinness World Records read.
In an earth-shattering performance on the streets of London, Sawe became the first person to officially run a marathon under two hours in open competition, clocking a staggering 1:59:30 to defend his London Marathon title.
Sawe, who remains unbeaten in his marathon career, did not just live up to his status as the defending champion but also proved that the sub-two-hour barrier was no longer a myth. He was pushed to this historic limit by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who produced an incredible performance of his own.
In a sensational marathon debut, Kejelcha also broke the two-hour barrier with a time of 1:59:41, securing his place in history as the second-fastest marathoner of all time.
Women’s performance
Assefa broke her own record with a new feat in the women’s race with a women-only world record of 2:15:41.
Her performance set a new women ’s-only record as she was pursued closely by a pair of Kenyan stars who pushed her until the final stretch.
Hellen Obiri, a decorated champion with previous victories in Boston and Chicago, made an impressive debut on the London course by finishing second in 2:15:53.
Last year’s runner-up, Joyciline Jepkosgei, settled for third place with a time of 2:15:55.