News26 April 2026 - 18:00

Guinness World Records ratifies Sabastian Sawe’s historic marathon feat

The record body hailed Sawe’s achievement, noting that he clocked an astonishing 1:59:30 to set a new benchmark

by PERPETUA ETYANG

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Guinness World Records has recognised Kenyan long-distance runner Sabastian Sawe following his performance, confirming his place in history with the fastest men’s marathon time.

In a statement, the records body hailed Sawe’s achievement, noting that he clocked an astonishing 1:59:30 to set a new benchmark.

Sawe has become the first man in history to break the two-hour barrier in the men's marathon in London, timing 1:59:30.

He crossed the line more than one minute faster than his compatriot, the late Kelvin Kiptum's, previous record of 2:00:35, set in 2023.

“Couldn't catch him! Congratulations to Sabastian Sawe on his fastest marathon (male) at 1:59:30. He also beats Eliud Kipchoge’s fastest marathon distance,” Guinness World Records said.

Sawe delivered a jaw-dropping performance on Sunday, storming into the history books as the first man to dip under the two-hour mark in a marathon on the streets of London. ‎

‎Sawe unleashed a strong finishing kick to breast the tape in 1:59:30, obliterating the previous men’s mark of 2:00:35 set by the late Kelvin Kiptum at the Chicago Marathon 2023. ‎

‎In a race that redefined the limits of endurance, Sawe broke away with authority, leaving a stacked elite field trailing in his wake. ‎ ‎Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha settled for second place in 1:59:41 while Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo clocked 2:00:28 to round off the podium.

‎‎Born on March 16, 1996, Sawe had long signalled his intent to attack the marathon’s ultimate frontier. ‎ ‎His trajectory has been nothing short of meteoric. ‎

Sawe trains at altitude in western Kenya—living in a shared room at camp and only seeing his wife and son twice a month. He was born nearby in a remote highland village without electricity.

His running journey was nurtured by both his uncle, Abraham Chepkirwok, who competed in the 800m for Uganda at the 2008 Olympics, and a teacher who told him: “Running is not just talent – it’s your fortune and your future.”

On his debut over the classic distance at the Valencia Marathon 2024, he surged to victory in a world-leading 2:02:05, the second-fastest debut in history. ‎ ‎Only Kiptum had gone quicker in his debut, clocking 2:01:53 on the same course in 2022. ‎

‎Sawe carried that momentum into the London Marathon 2025, where he once again asserted his dominance, clinching victory in 2:02:27. ‎

‎That race saw him comfortably dispatch Kiplimo (2:03:37) and fellow Kenyan Alexander Munyao (2:04:20). ‎

‎He then set his sights on Berlin in September 2025, launching a bold assault on the world record at the Berlin Marathon 2025. ‎ ‎Though he fell short of the mark, Sawe still powered to victory in 2:02:16. ‎

‎In the lead-up to that Berlin bid, Sawe took extraordinary steps to safeguard his credibility amid heightened scrutiny on Kenyan athletics. ‎

‎In response to doping violations by other athletes, he underwent an unprecedented 25 out-of-competition tests conducted by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).

President William Ruto congratulated Sawe following a standout performance at the London Marathon.

The president lauded Sawe, describing the victory as a defining moment in global athletics. He said the athlete’s performance was of rare brilliance, who pushed the boundaries of human endurance.