Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe poses with his new world record time written on his running shoe at the finish of the 2026 London Marathon. Courtesy of Adidas/AFP via Getty Images
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The London Marathon witnessed a historic day of running on Thursday, April 30, 2026, as Sabastian Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha both shattered the two-hour marathon barrier. Sawe, running in the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, set a new world record with a time of 1:59.30, while Kejelcha completed his debut marathon in 1:59.41. This marks the first time two runners have finished a marathon in under two hours.
The groundbreaking performance comes after Eliud Kipchoge unofficially broke the two-hour mark in 2019, but that time was not recognized as an official world record due to the event’s non-competitive nature.
Adding to Adidas’s success, Tigst Assefa established a new women’s-only world record in the women’s race, finishing with a time of 2:15.41.
The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, debuted at the London Marathon, appears to have played a significant role in these record-breaking performances. The shoe’s impact is already being felt throughout the running world, sparking a surge in interest and competition among athletic brands like Nike and Decathlon, as reported by Les Echos.
Following his record-breaking run, Sabastian Sawe reflected on the life-changing impact of his achievement, stating, “Ma vie a déjà changé” (“My life has already changed”), according to L’Équipe. He plans to use his €1.1 million prize to purchase a house and a car for his family, as reported by La Depeche.
Yomif Kejelcha likewise achieved a notable result, securing second place in the men’s race with his sub-two-hour time, as noted by Euronews.
