Kenya's Sebastian Sawe set a new marathon world record with a time of 1:59:30 at the London Marathon, surpassing the previous mark. The 31-year-old runner, competing in his third consecutive London race, surged ahead of a tightly packed field around the 30-kilometre mark. His performance sparked debate over whether the long-standing two-hour barrier in record-eligible events has been officially broken.
Sawe's time, officially recorded, places him among the fastest marathon runners in history. The result was confirmed by the event organizers, who noted the time met the required standards for official record recognition. Sawe, who has previously won major marathons, showed exceptional pace and endurance throughout the race.
This achievement adds to Kenya's strong presence in long-distance running. Earlier this year, Emmanuel Kiprono was named one of three finalists for the World Athletics Rising Star Award. Kiprono's nomination highlights Kenya's continued dominance in global athletics. Sawe's record comes as the country continues to produce world-class runners, maintaining its reputation as a powerhouse in distance sports.
