Sabastian Sawe breaks the two-hour barrier and wins the London Marathon with a world record By Bruna
3 min read
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Kenyan Sabastian Sawe crossed the finish line of Maratona of Londres on April 26th with a time of 1h59min30s. Ele became the first athlete to complete the 42.195 km distance under two hours in an official race. The feat occurred in the 2026 edition of the British event.
Sawe surpassed the previous world record, which was held by Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum. The previous mark was 2h00min35s, set at Maratona by Chicago. Dois athletes finished under two hours in the men’s race.
Sawe takes the lead and opens up an advantage at the end
The 31-year-old Kenyan controlled the pace from the start. Ele accelerated decisively in the last kilometers, especially in the region of Tower of London. The Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha, who was making his debut in the marathon, followed the leader for a good part of the route. Kejelcha finished in second place, in 1h59min41s.
- Sawe maintained a steady pace in the first 30 km
- Strong Aceleração occurred between km 35 and 40
- Kejelcha slowed down slightly in the final meters
- Nenhum of the two suffered visible performance drop
The men’s race had favorable conditions. The weather was mild and wet, which helped the elite athletes. Sawe celebrated the result by crossing the finish line on The Mall. Ele told the BBC that he felt strong throughout the race.
Previous Recorde and comparison with Kipchoge
Kelvin Kiptum had set the record of 2:00:35 in October 2023. The Kenyan died in February 2024. Eliud Kipchoge ran under two hours in 2019, but that race was held under controlled conditions and was not valid as an official record. Sawe, therefore, goes down in history as the first with an official brand.
The new record represents a 65-second improvement over Kiptum’s mark. Atletas and coaches consider the two-hour barrier a symbolic milestone in the marathon. Sawe wears adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 sneakers. Ele is sponsored by the German brand.
Desempenho from Kejelcha and fight for the podium
Yomif Kejelcha, a 27-year-old Ethiopian, surprised at his debut. Ele chased Sawe until the last few kilometers. Second place with a time under two hours also represents a historic achievement. Outros Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes completed the top 10.
The race had a high pace from the beginning. Pacemakers helped the elite group in the first 25 km. Depois, the main candidates were left alone. Sawe and Kejelcha formed the duo that decided the victory.
Tigst Assefa renews female record
In the women’s race, Ethiopian Tigst Assefa defended her title and set a new women-only world record. Ela completed the marathon in 2h15min41s. The brand surpassed the record it had made the previous year. Assefa surpassed Hellen Obiri and Joyciline Jepkosgei in the final sprint.
The 29-year-old Ethiopian showed strength in the last 400 meters. Ela accumulates wins on Majors as Berlim and Londres. The result confirms Ethiopian dominance in the current women’s marathon.
Repercussão and upcoming Sawe challenges
Sawe’s achievement sparked celebrations at Quênia. Treinadores and former athletes highlighted the runner’s rigorous preparation. Ele has recent victories in other marathons. Analistas point out that the record can be improved on even faster routes.
Sawe is expected to defend title against Berlim later in the year. The German city has a history of expressive brands. The athlete plans to train with a focus on staying in shape. World Athletics should ratify the record in the coming days.
The Londres event brought together tens of thousands of amateurs. The race remains one of the biggest in the world. Organizadores highlighted the organization and the public present on the streets.
