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‘Absolutely incredible!’ – Sawe shatters sub-2-hour marathon world record in London
Sabastian Sawe has consistently demonstrated an uncanny ability to defy expectations.
In 2022, the Kenyan athlete entered the Seville half marathon, his first road race, as a pacemaker, only to surge ahead within the first 10km and secure victory with a course record.
Further hinting at his potential, Sawe recorded the second-fastest marathon debut in history in Valencia in 2024.
His time of two hours, two minutes, and five seconds trailed the late Kelvin Kiptum’s first marathon by a mere 12 seconds, two years before Kiptum broke the world record in Chicago in 2023.
The signs were there.
However, few could have predicted the historic feat that unfolded on a pristine April morning in London on Sunday.
Sporting immortality, achieved in 1:59:30.
Speaking to BBC Sport 24 hours after becoming the first person to run a sub-two-hour marathon in a competitive race, Sawe expressed his own surprise, stating his primary focus was on defending his title.
“It was not in my mind. I was well prepared for this year’s London Marathon, but what comes surprised me because I was not thinking to run a world record.”
Yet, the 31-year-old Sawe believes he can push the boundaries even further.
“It was possible to run faster yesterday,” he stated. “Even 1:58 is possible.”
Sawe, who hails from Kenya’s Rift Valley where his father worked as a maize farmer, declared it “a day to remember” after eclipsing Kiptum’s world record by 65 seconds.
Others struggled to find words adequate to commend an achievement once deemed unattainable.
“Nobody thought that a sub-two-hour marathon under World Athletics conditions would be done in their lifetime,” London Marathon race director Hugh Brasher told BBC Sport.
“This is an unbelievable day for sport. It is sport and history in the making.”
Former women’s marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe commented: “We’ve witnessed history being made, but it is more than that.
“It is an iconic barrier that there has been this discussion over for a long time about whether it is even possible.”
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‘I am so happy’ – Sawe reacts to winning London marathon
Sawe’s breakthrough required patience, at times seeming elusive.
Raised largely by his grandmother, he moved to Iten in 2017 to pursue his running ambitions, but his time in Kenya’s ‘home of champions’ did not yield the anticipated results.
When his aspirations appeared distant, he was introduced to Italian coach Claudio Berardelli, the man who would guide him to greatness.
As injuries and race postponements due to the coronavirus pandemic made it difficult for Sawe to earn a living through running, his uncle, Ugandan 800m record holder Abraham Chepkirwok, connected them.
It was a crucial intervention.
Berardelli, a respected coach in Kenya who has described Sawe as “special,” immediately recognized his marathon potential and shifted his focus away from the track.
Berardelli attributes Sawe’s success to a combination of physiological advantages and a strong work ethic, adding that Sawe is far from his full potential despite only competing in four marathons.
Following his 2:02:05 debut, Sawe secured major victories in London and Berlin in 2025 – in 2:02:27 and 2:02:16 respectively – with the latter targeting the world record, an attempt thwarted by the 25C heat.
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Pundits react to Sawe’s landmark sub-two-hour marathon
Sawe achieved his world record in London despite suffering a stress fracture in his foot following Berlin, and a back issue that nearly forced him to quit in January delayed his preparations until early February.
Notably, he set the historic time in London, a course regarded as slower than Berlin and Chicago, which had not seen a men’s world record since 2002.
The great Eliud Kipchoge became the first man to run a marathon in under two hours in 2019, on a course with a mere 2.4 meters of incline, making it ineligible for record consideration due to the controlled conditions.
Even more astonishing in London, debutant Yomif Kejelcha also ran sub-two, and half marathon world record holder Jacob Kiplimo also surpassed Kiptum’s previous record.
Kipchoge posted on Instagram: “Today is a historical day for marathon running!
“Seeing two athletes break the magical two-hour barrier at London Marathon is the proof that we are just at the beginning of what is possible when talent, progress and an unwavering belief in the human potential come together.
“My deepest congratulations to both Sabastian Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha. Breaking the sub-two-hour barrier in the marathon has long been a dream for runners everywhere, and today you’ve made that dream come true.”
Sabastian Sawe has run four of the 17 fastest marathons of all-time
Lighter than a bar of soap – the shoes worn to shatter marathon record
At the finish line, Sawe displayed sponsors Adidas’ latest ‘supershoe’ with his time inscribed, acknowledging the role of technology in his achievement.
The Adidas Adios Pro 3 shoes, available for an eye-watering £450, weigh a mere 99g – 30% lighter than the previous model.
The company claims they deliver 11% greater forefoot energy return and improve running economy by 1.6% compared to its predecessor. Tigst Assefa also wore the shoes in breaking the women-only record on Sunday.
To capitalize on these advantages, Sawe runs approximately 200km per week – averaging nearly 30km daily – at altitude, crediting the increase in volume as a key factor in his progress.
Advances in fueling strategies have also contributed to improved performance in endurance events. Sawe reportedly consumed 115g of carbohydrates per hour during the race, after a breakfast of two slices of bread with honey and tea.
These factors combined enabled him to cover 26.2 miles at an average pace of 2:50 mins/km, or 4:33 mins/mile, including a 5km split of 13:42 from 35-40km as he accelerated toward the finish.
Amidst a series of high-profile doping cases involving Kenyan athletes, including women’s marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich, Sawe recognized the need to instill confidence in his performance.
Determined to prove his commitment to clean sport, Adidas provided $50,000 (£36,900) to the Athletics Integrity Unit, the sport’s anti-doping body, for frequent testing of Sawe over a 12-month period.
This began with a reported 25 out-of-competition tests leading up to Berlin in September, and continued at a similar rate as he prepared for London.
Sawe stated on Monday: “It’s very important to me because it gets out the doubt in my career of athletics and yesterday’s performance.
“It shows Sabastian Sawe is clean. It shows running clean is good, and we can run clean and we can run faster.
“It keeps the awareness that Sabastian Sawe is not to be doubted, and he is a clean athlete.”
As Sawe embarks on his next chapter, with his coach affirming that there is more to come, the world will be watching.
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