Sebastian Sawe Breaks Marathon Barrier: First to Finish Under 2 Hours!

Han Chae-hee | 2026.04.27

Translation result.

Sawe crosses the finish line[AFP/Yonhap][AFP/Yonhap]

Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe made history at the 2026 London Marathon, becoming the first person to complete a marathon in under two hours. Sawe won the men’s race on April 26 (local time), covering the full 42.195 km (26.22 miles) course in 1:59:30 — trimming 1 minute, 5 seconds off Kelvin Kiptum’s 2:00:35 world record set at the 2023 Chicago Marathon and delivering the sport its long‑sought “sub‑2” breakthrough.Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha finished second in 1:59:41, becoming the race’s second runner to dip below two hours, while Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo was third in 2:00:28 — also faster than the previous world record.Sawe ran a controlled, measured race from the outset. The lead group passed the opening 5 km in 14:14 (a 2:00:03 marathon pace), and Sawe reached the halfway mark in 1:00:29. He and the leaders maintained that tempo through 30 km, which they hit in 1:26:03. At the 30 km point, Sawe and Kejelcha surged away to form a two‑man duel, but Sawe put the race beyond doubt with a decisive move about 1.7 km from the finish, leaving Kejelcha behind and extending his lead to the line.#Marathon #SebastianSaweYonhap News TV — For inquiries or tips: KakaoTalk/LINE: jebo23. Han Chae‑hee (1ch@yna.co.kr)