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Kenyan Sabastian Sawe Breaks Two-Hour Marathon Barrier

4/28/2026

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Summary

Sawe Breaks Two-Hour

Kenyan runner Sabastian Sawe completed the London Marathon in 1 hr 59 min 30 sec, breaking the two-hour barrier.
He wore 97-gram Adidas supershoes and consumed 325 g of Maurten carbohydrates to avoid a performance wall.
Race director Hugh Brasher likened Sawe’s achievement to Sir Roger Bannister’s 1954 four-minute mile.
Analysts say faster shoes and nutrition will push marathon times even lower, marking a before-after moment in the sport.

Summary

Sawe Wins

Adidas shares rose 2 percent on April 27 after Sawe’s sub-two-hour marathon victory.
Resale prices for the $500 Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 reached nearly $2,000 on StockX after the shoe sold out quickly.
Adidas plans a broader autumn release via its app, expanding beyond the April 25 drop.
Nike’s market value slipped after the race, prompting CEO Elliott Hill to refocus on running and soccer.

History

Historical Context

On 6 May 1954, Roger Bannister ran the first sub-four-minute mile (3:59.4) at Oxford with pacemakers Chris Chataway and Chris Brasher, ending a long-standing myth. Since then, more than 2,000 runners have joined the club and the world record fell to 3:43.13 by Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999, showing how the once-impossible barrier continues to be lowered, now aided by high-tech footwear.

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Sawe Breaks Two-Hour

Kenyan runner Sabastian Sawe completed the London Marathon in 1 hr 59 min 30 sec, breaking the two-hour barrier.
He wore 97-gram Adidas supershoes and consumed 325 g of Maurten carbohydrates to avoid a performance wall.
Race director Hugh Brasher likened Sawe’s achievement to Sir Roger Bannister’s 1954 four-minute mile.
Analysts say faster shoes and nutrition will push marathon times even lower, marking a before-after moment in the sport.

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