Incredible run! Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe shatters marathon record in historic London victory
By Luke Oluoch, April 26, 2026The sporting world stood still today as Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe redefined the limits of human endurance.
In an earth-shattering performance, 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.
Kiptum’s record down
This monumental feat saw the Kenyan phenom smash the previous world record set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in 2023, turning what was once thought impossible into a reality on the streets of London.
True to his pre-race predictions of a record-breaking day, Sawe displayed immense grit and determination against a star-studded field fuelled by a fierce East African rivalry.
Unbeaten King
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.
The depth of the field was further evidenced by Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda. Billed as Sawe’s main challenger, Kiplimo took the bronze medal with a time of 2:00:28 and also finished well under the previous world record.
Meanwhile, reigning Olympic champion Tamirat Tola found the historic pace too much to handle, eventually finishing in sixth place.
How did Obiri, Jepkosgei perform?
The women’s elite race delivered an equally thrilling tactical battle that culminated in a new women-only world record.
Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia asserted her dominance on the world stage, successfully defending her title and claiming gold with a blistering time 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.
Obiri showed remarkable poise in her first test of the London streets, finishing just twelve seconds behind Assefa.
The seasoned Kenyan only fell behind with 400 m to go after going down under Assefa’s last-minute endurance.
She was followed closely by Joyciline Jepkosgei, last year’s runner-up, who settled for third place with a time of 2:15:55. Jepkosgei’s performance completed a high-speed podium where the top three finishers were separated by less than fifteen seconds.
The 2026 London Marathon will be remembered as the race that moved distance running into a new frontier, cemented by Sawe’s historic sub-two-hour triumph and a legendary showdown in the women’s category.