Kenyas Sawe sets new record with sub-two hour marathon in London

Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe Breaks Two-Hour Barrier at London Marathon

Sabastian Sawe of Kenya set a new world record in the men’s marathon, completing the 42.195km course in 1:59:30. This achievement marks the first time a man has run a marathon under two hours.

Sawe broke Kelvin Kiptum’s previous world record by 65 seconds, with a time of 2:00:35 at the Chicago Marathon in October 2023. Sawe, who has never lost a marathon, was followed closely by Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia, who finished second with a time of 1:59:41.

In the women’s division, Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia retained her London Marathon crown, completing the course in 2:15:41. This time beat her previous best by nine seconds. Hellen Obiri and Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya finished second and third, respectively.

The men’s wheelchair event was won by Marcel Hug of Switzerland, who secured his sixth consecutive victory. Catherine Debrunner also took top honors in the women’s wheelchair division, outsprinting Tatyana McFadden to claim her third win in a row in London.

Sawe expressed his excitement after crossing the finish line, stating that he had been feeling strong throughout the race and was thrilled to have achieved the world record. The victory marks a significant moment in sporting history, as Sawe becomes the first man to run a marathon under two hours.

Source: Al Jazeera