Sport has a new landmark. Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe crossed the finish line at the 2026 London Marathon on Sunday in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, becoming the first person in history to run a competitive marathon in under two hours.

The 31-year-old, who has never lost a marathon, shattered the world record by 65 seconds, retaining his London Marathon title in the process. The previous record belonged to his late compatriot Kelvin Kiptum, who ran 2:00:35 at the Chicago Marathon in October 2023. Kiptum died in a car crash in Kenya in 2024, aged 24.

Sawe ran the second half of the race in 59 minutes and 1 second, pulling clear of Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha after 30 kilometres before breaking away in the final two kilometres, sprinting down The Mall to the finish line.

What made Sunday even more extraordinary was what happened behind him. Kejelcha, running his first-ever marathon, also went under two hours, finishing in 1:59:41. Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo came third in 2:00:28, itself seven seconds faster than Kiptum’s former world record. Three men ran quicker than the old world record in the same race.

The distinction from Eliud Kipchoge’s famous 2019 effort is worth noting. Kipchoge was the first man to run a marathon in under two hours, but that run took place under controlled conditions and was never ratified as an official world record. Sawe’s achievement is different, it happened in open competition, on a certified course, against the world’s best. This is the real thing.

After crossing the line, Sawe said he felt strong in the closing stages and was overcome with excitement when he saw his time on the clock. He added that returning to London as defending champion had been a major source of motivation in his preparation.

The road to London was not without scrutiny. Ahead of his 2025 Berlin Marathon victory, Sawe underwent 25 out-of-competition drug tests from the Athletics Integrity Unit, an unprecedented number, reflecting the pressure on Kenyan athletics to demonstrate its clean credentials. He passed every one, and arrived in London with his reputation and record intact.

In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa defended her title, pulling away in the closing stages to win in 2:15:41, the fastest time ever recorded in a women’s-only marathon.

Sunday in London belonged to Sawe. The two-hour barrier, long considered the sport’s great impossible frontier, has been crossed. Nothing in marathon running will look quite the same again.