Two African men finished the London Marathon in under two hours, marking the first time anyone has clocked a marathon time under two hours.
According to The Associated Press, Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe won the marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds, smashing the previous record set by Kelvin Liptum at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, who clocked 2 hours and 35 seconds. Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha finished at 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 41 seconds to come in second behind Sawe. It was his first London Marathon.
“What comes today is not for me alone,” Sawe said after the race, “but for all of us today in London.”
Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo came in third, with a time of 2 hours and 28 seconds. All three African runners broke Kiptum’s three-year-old record.
Another runner has completed a marathon under two hours. Kenyan long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge did that in 2019, but it did not enter the record books because it wasn’t a traditional race. He ran a tailored race, the “1:59 Challenge,” and finished in 1 hour, 50 minutes, and 40 seconds. The race was run in favorable conditions on a six-mile track with a stable of 41 rotating pacemakers.
The winning women also set records in the marathon. Three African women finished under 2 hours and 16 minutes.
Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa won the race when she finished in 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 41 seconds, making it the fastest-ever time in a women-only marathon. Although she set the record for a women-only race, she missed the fastest time by a woman in a mixed race by 16 seconds. Paula Radcliffe set that record in 2003.
“I screamed when I finished because I knew I was breaking the world record,” Assefa said. “I felt much healthier today and have worked really hard on my speed, and all my training has paid off.”
Kenya’s Hellen Obiri finished 12 seconds behind Assefa, marking her personal best time during her first London Marathon. Joyciline Jepkosgei, also from Kenya, followed Obiri after finishing two seconds behind, to come in third place.
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