World athletics experienced one of the most historic days in its history this Sunday.. Kenyan Sabastian Sawe completed the 2026 London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, becoming the first human being to officially go under two hours in a marathon in an approved competition.
What for decades was considered a practically unattainable physiological limit was surpassed in a race that will go down in the history books of world sport.
The previous record was held by fellow Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum with 2:00:35, established in 2023, and many experts considered that going below that limit would still require years of evolution in training and technology. Sawe not only surpassed that mark but shattered it by crossing the finish line under two hours, maintaining an average pace close to 2 minutes and 50 seconds per kilometer throughout the 42.195 kilometers of the London route.
The day was extraordinary in every way. Not only did Sawe go under two hours, but the Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha also achieved a mark of 1:59:41 in his debut in the marathon distance, while the Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo finished third with 2:00:28, a time that alone would have surpassed the old world record. Three athletes in the same race surpassing or equaling what until a few hours ago was the best mark in history.
Details of Sabastian Sawe’s record in London
Partials
5k:14:14
10k:28:35 (14:21)
15k:43:10 (14:35)
20k:57:21(14:11)
1/2:1h00:29
25k:1h11:41 (14:20)
30k:1h26:03(14:22)
35k:1h39:57 (13:54)
40k:1h53:39(13:42)
Marathon:1h59:302:49 km
2nd half: 59:01pic.twitter.com/ufETQ2OTIF— juanma bellón (@juanmacorre) April 26, 2026
A symbolic barrier overcome
Sawe and Kejelcha broke the race starting at kilometer 35, leaving the rest of the competitors behind with an acceleration that showed that the two-hour barrier was not only possible but could be clearly overcome. This feat not only represents a new world record but breaks a symbolic barrier that has marked generations of runners and that until now had only been approximated in unofficial experiments such as Eliud Kipchoge’s controlled attempts.
The day was also historic in the women’s category. Ethiopian Tigst Assefa confirmed her victory in London and set a new world record in women’s only races with a time of 2:15:41, completing an afternoon that the world of athletics will long remember as the day when human limits were once again redefined on the streets of the British capital.
With this result, long-distance athletics enters a new era. Improvements in physical preparation, optimized race strategies and the use of cutting-edge shoes have contributed to progressively reducing marathon times until reaching this historic moment that Sabastian Sawe starred in this Sunday in London to the astonishment of the entire world.