By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Caption: Sabastian Sawe from Kenya crosses the finish line to win the men’s race at the London Marathon in London, Sunday, April 26, 2026.(AP Photo/Ian Walton).
Sabastian Sawe became the first man in history to break the 2:00-barrier in legal conditions with a world record of 1:59:30 at London Marathon on Sunday, 26 April 2026.
Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha was second with an official time of 1:59:40 and Kenya’s Jacob Kiplimo came third at 2:00.28.
The previous men’s marathon world record record was 2:00:35, held by the late Kelvin Kiptum. But Sawe blitzed through it.
His time is also 10 seconds better than the unofficial time recorded by Eliud Kipchoge’s unofficial record in 2019. Kipchoge’s victory came in an Ineos event that was not an open competition and rotating pacemakers were deployed.
Remarkably, this was only Sawe’s fifth ever career marathon and he smashed his previous London time of 2:02:27 last year.
“What comes today is not for me alone,” Sawe said, “but for all of us today in London.”
Meanwhile, Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia won the elite women’s London Marathon, securing her second consecutive title while setting a new world record.
She crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 15 minutes and 41 seconds — nine seconds faster than her 2025 winning time.
She was followed by the Kenyan duo of Hellen Obiri and Joyciline Jepkosgei, with all three women finishing under the 2-hour 16-minute mark.