Guinness World Records recognises Kenyan long-distance runner Sabastian Sawe / GUINNESS WORLD RECORD
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.
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