On Sunday, two African long-distance athletes broke what was once deemed an unattainable record in athletics, surpassing the elusive two-hour mark in the 42.2-kilometre marathon.
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe triumphed at the London Marathon, clocking in at one hour, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds, exceeding the previous men’s world record by an impressive 65 seconds. He outpaced Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who was competing in his inaugural marathon and finished with a time of 1:59.41.
Sawe expressed, “What happens today is not just for me, but for all of us here in London.”
Jacob Kiplimo from Uganda secured third place, completing the race in 2:00.28, which was seven seconds faster than the previous world record set by Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum, rounding out a podium where all three athletes surpassed Kiptum’s record from three years ago.
The new world record marathon time is 1:59:30, achieved by Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe on Sunday at the London Marathon.
It is said that the marathon’s distance mirrors the route a Greek soldier took from Marathon to Athens to proclaim a military victory in ancient history.
With favorable weather conditions on a mostly sunny day at 15°C, ideal for racing, Sawe completed the second half of the marathon in a remarkable 59:01.
After reaching the 30 km mark, Sawe and Kejelcha distanced themselves from the pack, and then Sawe made a decisive break in the last two kilometres. Spectators cheered enthusiastically as he dashed toward the finish line on The Mall.
“I believe the crowd played a significant role,” Sawe remarked, “because without them, you don’t feel the love… hearing them cheer makes you feel joyous and strong.”
As the defending champion returning to London, Sawe described it as a “day to remember” and expressed gratitude to the massive crowds that gathered to witness one of the most remarkable feats in a sport that poses the simple question: How fast can a person run?
The sub-2 hour milestone has been achieved before, unofficially
After Roger Bannister shattered the 4-minute mile barrier in 1954, the record was subsequently lowered 18 times, eventually reaching the current world record of 3:43.13, set by Hicham El Guerrouj from Morocco.
While the mile has been largely supplanted by the 1,500 metres as the primary four-lap event in major competitions, the marathon continues to be crucial in elite racing, and the two-hour barrier — an aesthetically pleasing figure at a distance that’s been recognized since ancient times — has been the target of the world’s elite runners (and footwear brands) for nearly two decades.
Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya famously broke the two-hour mark in 2019, but that achievement was not officially recognized, as it took place in a specially arranged event — the “1:59 Challenge” — under optimal conditions on a six-mile track with 41 rotating pacemakers. Kipchoge finished with a time of 1:59.40.
Sawe surpassed that time by ten seconds on one of the world’s less demanding marathon courses.
“The landscape of marathon running has just shifted dramatically,” commented Paula Radcliffe, a former London Marathon champion, during her race commentary for the BBC.
The first marathon under 2:30 was recorded in 1925, followed by the 2:15 barrier being broken 38 years later. As the century turned, the best time for the men’s marathon stood at 2:05:42, achieved by Khalid Khannouchi in Chicago in 1999.
Khannouchi lowered his own record by four seconds in 2002 — the last time the fastest men’s marathon was run in London — and the record has gradually been diminished over the past 24 years by a series of Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes, including Haile Gebrselassie, Wilson Kipsang, Kipchoge, and most recently, Kiptum.
With the two-hour barrier now behind us, other legendary track-and-field records to keep an eye on include Usain Bolt’s 9.58 seconds in the 100 metres (2009), Mike Powell’s 8.95 metres in the long jump (1991), and Marita Koch’s 47.60 in the women’s 400 (1985).
The reduction in times is attributed to advancements in training, nutrition, and running techniques.
A crucial factor in this evolution is the evolution of running shoes, which has become a competition among brands employing carbon-fiber plates and other innovative materials to create lighter and more responsive footwear.
There has been ongoing discussion regarding whether these advancements in footwear constitute “technology doping.” Seven years prior, Kipchoge utilized Nike footwear during his controlled sub-two-hour attempt. On Sunday, Sawe donned Adidas shoes, which reportedly weigh 3.4 ounces for a men’s size nine — less than half the weight of a typical running shoe, according to the Wall Street Journal.
“When you hand them the box, they think it’s a joke,” remarked Patrick Nava, general manager of Adidas running, in an interview with WSJ. “They assume the box is empty.”
Assefa claims fastest-ever women’s-only marathon
A new record emerged in the women’s category as Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa surged ahead with approximately 500 metres to go, finishing in 2:15:41, thereby defending her title in the fastest-ever women’s-only marathon.
Nonetheless, this time was 16 seconds slower than the course record established by Radcliffe in 2003 during a mixed-gender event.
Kenya’s Hellen Obiri finished second, 12 seconds behind, achieving a personal best in her debut at the London Marathon, while fellow compatriot Joyciline Jepkosgei took third, just two seconds later. This marked the first occurrence of three women finishing a marathon in under two hours and 16 minutes.
“I screamed at the finish because I knew I was breaking the world record,” Assefa shared.
“I felt much healthier today and have worked really hard on my speed, and all my training has paid off.”
In the wheelchair races, Switzerland claimed a double victory, with Marcel Hug clinching his sixth consecutive men’s title and eighth overall, while Catherine Debrunner edged out Tatyana McFadden in a tight finish to retain her title.
