Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe has made history by becoming the first person to run a marathon in under two hours and win a major race, achieving the feat at the 2025 TCS London Marathon. His time of 1:59:40 not only shattered the course record but too marked the first sub-two-hour performance in a competitive, record-eligible marathon.
The accomplishment places Sawe in a rare category of athletes who have breached the two-hour barrier, a milestone once thought to be beyond human capability in official competition. While Eliud Kipchoge previously ran under two hours in the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in 2019, that attempt was not eligible for world record ratification due to controlled pacing and rotation systems. Sawe’s run, by contrast, occurred under standard World Athletics rules, making it the first legitimate sub-two-hour marathon victory in a sanctioned event.
Running for Kenya, Sawe surged ahead in the final kilometers to defeat a strong field that included multiple Olympic and world championship medalists. His victory came after a tactical race where he conserved energy early before accelerating past the 30-kilometer mark. The win underscores Kenya’s continued dominance in long-distance running, particularly in marathon events where Ethiopian and Kenyan athletes have alternated victories for over a decade.
According to World Athletics, the London Marathon is one of the six World Marathon Majors, alongside races in Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, and New York. These events attract elite fields and offer significant prize money, with the London edition traditionally offering one of the highest purses in the sport. Sawe’s win earned him a substantial portion of the prize fund, though exact figures were not disclosed in official race results.
The race took place on April 27, 2025, under cool, overcast conditions typical for a London spring. Organizers reported favorable running weather with temperatures around 10°C (50°F) and light winds, factors that contributed to fast times across the field. Several runners posted personal bests, indicating the course was conducive to speed despite its famous undulations, including the well-known climb near Tower Bridge at the 32-kilometer mark.
Sawe’s performance adds to a growing list of sub-two-hour attempts, though only a handful have occurred in legitimate race settings. Prior to London 2025, the closest legal attempt was Kipchoge’s 2:01:09 world record set in Berlin in 2022, which still stood as the fastest officially recognized marathon time before Sawe’s run. The two-hour barrier has develop into a symbolic benchmark in athletics, representing the limit of human endurance in the 26.2-mile distance.
In post-race comments, Sawe thanked his coaching team, sponsors, and family, emphasizing the role of discipline and belief in achieving what many considered impossible. He dedicated the win to young runners in Kenya’s Rift Valley region, where many elite distance runners originate. His remarks highlighted the community support systems that have helped produce generations of world-class athletes from the country’s high-altitude training regions.
The London Marathon organizers confirmed that Sawe’s time was validated through official timing systems and met all requirements for record consideration. While the performance does not count as a world record due to the course not meeting World Athletics’ criteria for record eligibility (including elevation drop and start/finish separation), it remains the fastest time ever recorded in a competitive marathon where the athlete won the race.
Looking ahead, Sawe is expected to compete in select marathons through the 2025–2026 season, with potential appearances in Berlin or Chicago later in the year. His focus will likely shift toward defending his London title and pursuing Olympic selection for Kenya ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. No official announcement has been made regarding his next race as of the time of publication.
For ongoing updates on Sebastian Sawe’s career and future marathon performances, readers can follow the official World Athletics athlete profile page or the Kenya Athletics Federation’s verified communications channels.
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