• Sabastian Sawe breaks the two-hour barrier in marathon history with a time of 1:59:30.
• Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha also finishes under two hours, claiming second place.
• Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia breaks her own women’s-only marathon world record.

Kenya's Sabastian Sawe has officially become the first man to run a marathon in under two hours, achieving this monumental feat at the London Marathon on April 26 with a record-breaking time of 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds. This performance not only marked a significant moment in sports history, but it also shattered the previous men's world record of 2:00:35 set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in 2023. Sawe's win demonstrated an extraordinary level of endurance and speed, as he outpaced Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha, who also produced an impressive finish of 1:59:41 in his marathon debut, along with Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo finishing third in 2:00:28, all surpassing Kiptum's prior record according to Le Monde, Al Jazeera, Channel News Asia, Africa News, and South China Morning Post.

"What comes today is not for me alone," Sawe expressed after his victory, illustrating his achievement as a source of inspiration for all. His statement reflects the weight of history and the expectation of future marathon runners to reach for new milestones. The race conditions were favorable, with Sawe employing a pacing strategy that allowed him to cover the second half of the marathon in under an hour, a testament to his exceptional training and mental fortitude according to Le Monde, Al Jazeera, and Africa News.

In the women’s race, fellow Ethiopian Tigst Assefa defended her title and broke her own women’s-only world record, completing the marathon in 2:15:41. Assefa's performance highlights the remarkable competitiveness in women's distance running, as she surpassed her previous record of 2:15:50 set in 2025. She pulled away from Kenyan runners Hellen Obiri and Joyciline Jepkosgei, who finished with personal bests of 2:15:53 and 2:15:55, respectively, marking a historic day for marathon achievements according to Channel News Asia, South China Morning Post, and Africa News.

Both Sawe and Kejelcha wore the lightweight Adidas Pro Evo 3 shoes, which contributed to their remarkable performances. The footwear has garnered attention for its design aimed at enhancing speed and reducing fatigue, underscoring the evolving technology in running shoe design. Sawe’s commitment to clean sport was also acknowledged after he had voluntarily submitted to numerous drug tests in an effort to ensure the integrity of his achievements, a move recognized by Kejelcha as significant for the sport according to South China Morning Post, Le Monde, and Al Jazeera.