London Marathon 2026 results: Sebastien Savay makes history with first competitive sub-two-hour marathon

Sebastian Sauve made history by becoming the first athlete to run a marathon under two hours in a competitive race at the London Marathon.

The 30-year-old Kenyan crossed the victory line in 1:59:30, more than a minute faster than Kelvin Kiptom’s previous record of 2:00:35, set in 2023.

The great Eliud Kipchoge became the first person to run a marathon in under two hours in 2019, but it was not record-eligible because it was conducted under controlled conditions.

Already on world record pace after passing the halfway mark in 1:00:29, Sawe was able to run even faster than Kipchoge’s time in the second half of the race.

Sava made his decisive move before the final 10 km, with only debutant Yomif Kejelcha able to cover his surge from the front.

Notably, Kjellcha became the second person to run under two hours in race conditions and finished runner-up in 1:59:41.

Half marathon world record holder Jacob Kiplimo also surpassed Kiptom’s previous record, finishing the podium in 2:00:28.

“I’m feeling good. I’m pleased. This is a day to remember for me,” Savay said, speaking on BBC TV.

“We started the race well. Nearing the end of the race, I was feeling strong. Finally reaching the finish line, I looked at the time, and I was very excited.”