Sensational Kenyan Sabastian Sawe broke the two-hour barrier in marathon history, winning the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds on Sunday, April 26, 2026.
Sawe 29, obliterated the world record of 2:00:35 set by the late Kelvin Kiptum at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.
Kenyan legend Eliud Kipchoge, covered the marathon distance in 1:59:40.2 back in 2019, but that feat did not happen in a race with world-record-eligible conditions.
The runner-up on Sunday, Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha, clocked 1:59:41 in his first-ever marathon as Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda came home third in 2:00:28.
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Sawe was aiming to defend his title from last season’s effort, where he posted a winning time of 2:02:27.
“I’m feeling awesome. I’m over the moon. It’s a day to remember for me,” Sawe said after the race.
“We started the race well, and as we neared the final stretch, I felt powerful. I recall the Ethiopian rival was incredibly competitive and I think he pushed me a lot. Finally, crossing the finish line and seeing the clock left me absolutely thrilled.
Today showed me there’s a moment for everyone. I’m so grateful. I came in well prepared. Coming back to London for the second time meant a lot to me.”
Sabastian Sawe shatters marathon world record with historic sub-2-hour London triumph
Sawe, Kipruto, and Kiplimo set the early tempo, moving together through 5km, with Sawe taking charge by the 10km mark. Kiplimo then edged ahead around 15km, but Sawe stayed composed just behind, alongside Kipruto.
By halfway, Sawe had surged back into the lead, with Kipruto slotting into second and Kiplimo still right in the mix.
The battle tightened further at 25km when Yomif Kejelcha made a bold move to the front, closely tracked by Sawe and Kipruto, while Olympic champion Tamirat Tola remained firmly in contention.
As they hit 30km, Sawe and Kejelcha looked the most comfortable, though Kiplimo and Kipruto refused to fade. Sawe then took full command past 35km, steadily stretching his advantage. By 40km, it had boiled down to a gripping duel between Sawe and Kejelcha, with Kiplimo pushing hard behind to close the gap.
In the end, Sawe sealed a stunning victory in a world-record 1:59:30, with Kejelcha finishing just behind in 1:59:41. Kiplimo followed in 2:00:28, while Kipruto rounded out the top four in 2:01:39.
Obiri finishes second In London Marathon debut
Meanwhile, in the women’s category, Ethiopian Tigst Assefa defended her London Marathon title in style after shattering her own world record for a women-only field, setting a new fastest time of 2:15:41 as she surged clear of Kenyan rivals Hellen Obiri and Jepkosgei in a thrilling finish.
Obiri set a debut personal best of 2:15:53, while Jepkosgei, the 2021 London Marathon champion, stopped the clock at 2:15:55.