Sabastian Sawe, the Kenyan distance runner, has achieved sporting immortality by becoming the first person to complete a competitive marathon in under two hours, clocking an astonishing 1:59:30 at the London Marathon on Sunday. The 30-year-old obliterated Kelvin Kiptum’s previous world record by 65 seconds, a feat that London Marathon race director Hugh Brasher described as an “unbelievable day for sport.”
The sub-two-hour marathon in record-eligible conditions has long been considered the holy grail of endurance running. While Eliud Kipchoge famously broke the barrier in 2019, his 1:59:40 run was conducted under controlled, non-record-eligible conditions. Sawe’s performance in London, a course not known for yielding men’s world records since 2002, marks a paradigm shift in the sport.
A journey to immortality
Sawe’s path to this historic moment has been a remarkable ascent. Born in Kenya’s Rift Valley, he moved to Iten in 2017 to pursue his running ambitions, following in the footsteps of his uncle, Uganda’s 800m record holder Abraham Chepkirwok. His marathon career, though brief with only four races, has been nothing short of spectacular.
He first gained attention at the 2022 Seville half marathon, where he started as a pacemaker before winning the race in a course record time. His marathon debut in Valencia in 2024 was the second-fastest in history, finishing in 2:02:05, just 12 seconds shy of Kiptum’s debut two years prior. Sawe then secured major victories in London (2:02:27) and Berlin (2:02:16) in 2025. His Berlin world record attempt that year was thwarted by 25C heat, followed by a stress fracture in his foot and a back issue in January that delayed his 2026 preparations until February.
Read also: Premier League clubs navigate UEFA's strict multi-club ownership rules ahead of European ambitions
Despite these setbacks, Sawe arrived in London prepared, though not expecting a world record. “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,” Sawe told BBC Sport. His performance was so dominant that debutant Yomif Kejelcha and half marathon world record holder Jacob Kiplimo also dipped under Kiptum’s former record in the same race.
The perfect storm of preparation and technology
Sawe’s success is attributed to a combination of physiological advantages, an excellent attitude, and meticulous preparation under Italian coach Claudio Berardelli. He maintains a rigorous training regimen, running approximately 200km per week at altitude, averaging almost 30km daily. During the race, his sophisticated fuelling strategy saw him consume 115g of carbohydrates per hour, having started the day with two slices of bread with honey and tea.
Technology also played a crucial role. Sawe wore Adidas’ latest ‘supershoe’, the Adidas Adios Pro 3, which are available for £450. These shoes weigh 97g, 30% lighter than their predecessor, and Adidas claims they deliver an 11% greater forefoot energy return, improving running economy by 1.6%. Tigst Assefa also wore the same model when breaking the women’s world record on Sunday.
Running clean in an era of scrutiny
In an era marked by high-profile doping cases involving Kenyan athletes, Sawe’s achievement comes with an added layer of scrutiny. To address these concerns, Adidas provided $50,000 to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) to frequently test Sawe over a 12-month period. He reportedly underwent 25 out-of-competition tests in the lead-up to his Berlin attempt.
Read also: Basketball meets the Pope: Notre Dame and Villanova’s eye-catching Rome trip revealed
Sawe embraces this testing, viewing it as crucial validation. “It’s very important to me because it gets out the doubt in my career of athletics and yesterday’s performance,” he stated. “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.”
With an average pace of 2:50 mins/km (4:33 mins/mile) and a blistering 5km split of 13:42 between 35-40km, Sawe’s performance has redefined the limits of human endurance. Former women’s marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe encapsulated the sentiment, stating, “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.” Sawe himself believes even faster times are possible, declaring, “Even 1:58 is possible.”
Sources: www.bbc.com
Read also: Oilers' playoff collapse raise questions on Connor McDavids future
Read also: Sports power couple Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird announce separation
