Sawe shatters two-hour marathon barrier at London Marathon

Sabastian Sawe of Kenya became the first person to officially break the two-hour marathon barrier on Sunday, winning the 2026 London Marathon in a world record time of 1:59:30 and rewriting one of the most storied chapters in distance running.worldathletics+1

The 30-year-old defending champion shattered the previous world record of 2:00:35, set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in Chicago in 2023, by 65 seconds. While Eliud Kipchoge ran 1:59:40 in 2019, that performance was an exhibition event with controlled pacing conditions and was never recognized as an official record.bbc+3

A Race for the Ages

Sawe did not do it alone for most of the course. A lead group of six — Sawe, Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha, Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo, Olympic champion Tamirat Tola, Amos Kipruto, and Deresa Geleta — passed through halfway in 1:00:29, according to World Athletics. The decisive break came between 30 and 35 kilometers, when Sawe and Kejelcha pulled away with a blistering 13:54 split. With one mile remaining, Sawe surged clear of Kejelcha and finished alone on The Mall near Buckingham Palace.worldathletics

Kejelcha, running his first-ever marathon, crossed the line in 1:59:41, becoming the second person to break two hours in a ratified race and recording the fastest marathon debut in history. Kiplimo held on for third in 2:00:28, also bettering Kiptum's former world record by seven seconds.npr+2

Record Payday

Sawe stands to earn more than $330,000 from Sunday's performance. According to published prize structures, the winner's purse is $55,000, with a $125,000 world record bonus and a $150,000 time bonus for finishing under 2:02:00.pulsesports+1

Assefa Completes a Historic Double

The women's race produced its own record. Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa successfully defended her title in 2:15:41, lowering her own women-only world record by nine seconds. Kenya's Hellen Obiri finished second in a personal best of 2:15:53, with Joyciline Jepkosgei third in 2:15:55 — the first time three women have run inside 2:16 in the same race.sports.yahoo+2