Sawe makes history with first sub-two-hour marathon in London
Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa wins the London Marathon in a new women's-only world-record time (JUSTIN TALLIS) Sabastian Sawe made history on Sunday by becoming the first athlete to run a sub-two-hour marathon as Tigst Assefa smashed her own women's-only world record on the streets of London. Kenya's Sawe came into the race predicting fireworks and delivered in spectacular style, crossing the line in 1hr 59min 30sec in a race for the ages. Astonishingly, the top three men all finished inside the previous men's world record of 2:00:35 set in Chicago in 2023 by the late Kelvin Kiptum.
Defending London Marathon champion Sawe was locked in a tight battle with Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha in the closing stages but surged clear. Kejelcha, running his first-ever marathon, notched a time of 1:59:41 -- the fastest debut ever -- with Uganda's Jacob Kiplomo third (2:00:28). A delighted Sawe said he went into the race, run in warm spring weather, believing he could break the two-hour mark.
"I am feeling good. I am so happy. It is a day to remember for me," said the 31-year-old, whose winning time was scribbled on his shoe.
"We started the race well. Approaching finishing the race, I was feeling strong. "Finally reaching the finish line, I saw the time, and I was so excited....
Coming to London for the second time was so important to me and that's why I prepared well for it. "Finally, what I had done for four months it has come today to be a good result. " Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge ran 1:59:40 in October 2019, becoming the first person in recorded history to complete a sub-two-hour marathon.