London, UK — History was rewritten at the London Marathon as Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe became the first athlete ever to run a marathon under two hours in official race conditions, storming to a groundbreaking 1:59:30.
Sawe’s remarkable feat marks the first time the elusive sub-two-hour barrier has been achieved in a record-eligible race, surpassing previous limitations that had confined such performances to controlled exhibition events.
Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha delivered an equally stunning performance on his marathon debut, clocking 1:59:41 to also dip under the two-hour mark. His run places him second all-time and signals a dramatic shift in the competitive landscape of marathon running.
Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo added to the historic depth of the race, finishing in 2:00:28 — a time faster than the previous world record of 2:00:35 set in 2023. Despite finishing third, Kiplimo’s performance underscores the unprecedented standard set during this year’s race.
Analysts and athletics observers are already describing the 2026 London Marathon as one of the greatest races in history, with three athletes running faster than the previous world record and two officially breaking the two-hour barrier for the first time.