A Historic Milestone in Marathon Running
On October 12, 2019, Eliud Kipchoge made history by becoming the first person to run a marathon in under two hours during the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, Austria. He completed the 42.195-kilometre distance in 1:59:40. However, this time was not officially recognized as a world record because it was achieved under controlled conditions, including the use of rotational pacesetters and a course with minimal elevation.
Exactly six years, six months, and 14 days later, Kenyan runner Sabastian Sawe shattered the two-hour barrier in a competitive race, setting a new world record of 1:59:30. This achievement marked a significant milestone in the history of marathon running. Sawe’s time surpassed the previous world record of 2:00:35, set by the late Kelvin Kiptum at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.
Sawe accomplished this feat on April 26 under ideal weather conditions, fulfilling Kipchoge’s “no human is limited” motto just four races into his marathon career. Despite the odds, he claimed that he could have run even faster, fueled by a simple breakfast of “two slices of bread, honey and tea.”
When asked how much faster he could have gone, Sawe responded, “Even 1:58:59 is possible. I hope in future we will be able to run faster; it was possible to run fastest yesterday.” His confidence reflects the growing belief that the limits of human performance are constantly being redefined.
From Pacemaker to Record Holder
Sawe’s journey into long-distance running began in 2022 when he competed in the Seville half marathon as a pacemaker. After leaving track racing under the guidance of Italian coach Claudio Berardelli, who recognized his potential for marathon running, he surprised everyone by winning the race in a course record time. He dropped off the elite athletes he was pacing within the first 10 kilometers.
His marathon debut came in 2024 in Valencia, where he ran the second-fastest marathon debut in 2:02:05. The following year, he continued to impress, clocking 2:02:27 in London and 2:02:16 in Berlin in 2025. These performances placed him among the greatest marathon runners of all time.
Despite his impressive record, Sawe had not initially aimed for the world record in the Berlin race. However, sweltering heat disrupted his plans. He was well-prepared for the 2024 London Marathon, but breaking the two-hour barrier was an unexpected achievement.
“I was not thinking to run a world record,” he said, calling it “a day to remember.” Sawe broke the two-hour barrier alongside Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who also ran his first-ever marathon and finished in 1:59:41. Even third-place finisher Jacob Kiplimo from Uganda broke the previous world record by seven seconds, finishing in 2:00:28.
A Global Celebration of Human Potential
The significance of Sawe’s achievement was widely celebrated around the world. Larry Madowo of CNN remarked that “Kenyans invented running,” highlighting the country’s deep-rooted connection to long-distance athletics. The London course, known for being slower than Berlin and Chicago, had not seen a men’s world record since 2002.
Since 2003, eight of the world records have been set in Berlin, with Kiptum breaking the series in 2023 by running 2:00:35 in Chicago. Sawe’s accomplishment has now added another chapter to this legacy, proving that the boundaries of human endurance continue to expand.
