History has been made today as the first official sub-two-hour marathon has been set on the streets of London.
Sabastian Sawe completed today’s London marathon in a time of 1:59:30 – making a new world record.
The new world record holder won the Men’s elite race today, crossing the line in the capital’s Mall.
The 29-year-old from Kenya not only achieved what no one thought possible, but smashed the two-hour mark.
Sawe’s time was 30 seconds quicker than the two-hour mark, and 10 seconds faster than Eliud Kipchoge’s unofficial record in 2019.
The Kenyan won in London on his debut last year and has four wins from his four marathon races.
Sawe trains at altitude in western Kenya and shares a room in a camp, only seeing his wife and son twice a month.
The world record holder was born nearby in a remote highland village without any electricity.
Sawe smashed the world record, a full thirty seconds under two hours
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His journey to the peak of the running game has been supported by both his uncle, Abraham Chepkirwok, who competed in the 800m for Uganda at the 2008 Olympics, and a teacher who said that running was his “fortune”.
After the incredible achievement, Sawe told the BBC: “I saw the time and I was so excited.”
“First of all, I want to thank the crowds. They help a lot. They helped a lot. You feel so happy and strong and pushing.
“What comes for me today is not for me alone but all of us in London.”
Sawe said: ‘I saw the time and I was so excited’
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Sawe has spoken out in the past about his problems with doping in the sport.
He has called for regular testing and invited the Athletics Integrity Unit to test him as much as possible.
The world record holder said they did so 25 times, around two or three times a week, in the build-up to the Berlin Marathon in 2025.
He said: “The main reason was to show that I am clean, and I am doing it the right way.”
|The Kenyan crossed the line with no one else in sight
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