Sabastian Sawe breaks two-hour barrier

Sabastian Sawe ran 1:59:30 to win the London Marathon on Sunday and became the first man under two hours in a record-eligible race. (worldathletics.org) The Kenyan also defended the London title he won in 2025. His time cut 65 seconds off Kelvin Kiptum’s official world record of 2:00:35 from Chicago in 2023. (worldathletics.org) (espn.com) Sawe did not slip under the mark alone. Yomif Kejelcha finished second in 1:59:41, and Jacob Kiplimo took third in 2:00:28, putting all three men under the previous world record. (worldathletics.org) (olympics.com) That changed the meaning of the race almost immediately. Eliud Kipchoge had covered the distance in 1:59:40 in Vienna in 2019, but that run was staged as an exhibition and did not count as an official world record. (worldathletics.org) (espn.com) London’s men went through 5 kilometers in 14:14, 10 kilometers in 28:34, 15 kilometers in 43:10, and halfway in 1:00:29 with six runners still together. (worldathletics.org) The break came after 30 kilometers. Sawe and Kejelcha covered the next 5 kilometers in 13:54, then the next in 13:42, before Sawe pulled clear with about a mile left. (worldathletics.org) Sawe’s second half was 59:01, faster than his first half and rare at world-record pace over 26.2 miles. After the finish, he said, “It is a day to remember for me.” (worldathletics.org) The women’s race also produced a record. Tigst Assefa won her second straight London title in 2:15:41, a women-only world record, ahead of Hellen Obiri in 2:15:53 and Joyciline Jepkosgei in 2:15:55. (worldathletics.org) (olympics.com) World Athletics and Olympics.com both noted the marks are subject to ratification, but the clock in London already delivered the number the sport had chased for decades. (olympics.com) (worldathletics.org)