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Sawe Shatters Two-Hour Marathon Record in London

4/26/2026

Summary

Sawe Breaks Sub-Two

Sabastian Sawe won the 2026 London Marathon in 1:59:30, the first sub-two-hour marathon in a record-eligible race.
He beat Kelvin Kiptum’s 2:00:35 record from the 2023 Chicago Marathon by 1 minute 5 seconds.
Yomif Kejelcha finished second in 1:59:41 and Jacob Kiplimo third in 2:00:28, both faster than Kiptum’s former record.
Sawe’s halves were 1:00:29 and 59:01, better than his 2:02:05 best at the 2024 Valencia Marathon.

Summary

London Marathon Raises

The 2025 London Marathon raised a world-record £87.3 million for charities.
Organisers said up to 59,000 runners are expected to finish, the highest participation ever.
High-profile participants included actress Cynthia Erivo for The King’s Trust, former England manager Tony Adams for the Forward Trust, and former cricketer Sir Alastair Cook, adding celebrity fundraising.
The race combined elite athletes with everyday fundraisers, reinforcing its role as a major charitable platform.

History

Historical Context

Founded in 1981 by Chris Brasher and John Disley, the London Marathon has become a World Marathon Majors staple and a leading charity platform, raising over £1.4 billion. In 2019 Eliud Kipchoge set a 2:02:37 course record while Virgin Money-sponsored runners generated £66 million for charity. The trend continued when Kenyan Sabastian Sawe broke the sub-two-hour barrier with a 1:59:30 world record in 2026.

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Sawe Breaks Sub-Two

Sabastian Sawe won the 2026 London Marathon in 1:59:30, the first sub-two-hour marathon in a record-eligible race.
He beat Kelvin Kiptum’s 2:00:35 record from the 2023 Chicago Marathon by 1 minute 5 seconds.
Yomif Kejelcha finished second in 1:59:41 and Jacob Kiplimo third in 2:00:28, both faster than Kiptum’s former record.
Sawe’s halves were 1:00:29 and 59:01, better than his 2:02:05 best at the 2024 Valencia Marathon.

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