Sabastian Sawe Kimaru is a Kenyan long-distance runner and the first man to officially run a marathon in under two hours, clocking a world-record 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds to win the 2026 London Marathon and shatter one of sport’s longest-standing barriers.
The men’s marathon world record before Sabastian Sawe broke it was held by Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum.
Kiptum set the record at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, where he ran 2 hours, 0 minutes and 35 seconds.
Sabastian Sawe’s Early Life and Education
Born on March 16, 1996, in Kenya’s Rift Valley region, Sawe was raised in a humble background and largely brought up by his grandmother.
Sawe grew up running long distances from an early age, like many children in the highlands, where running is a way of life rather than a career plan.
Sawe’s steady development continued through the local and regional circuit before he broke out internationally in 2022.
That year, he won several road races in Europe and announced himself on the global stage at the Diamond League meeting in Brussels, where he set a Kenyan national record in the one‑hour run.
Also Read: Sebastian Sawe Becomes First Human to Win a Marathon in Under Two Hours
The performance marked him out as an athlete with exceptional endurance and control over long distances.
In 2023, Sawe shifted fully to road racing and delivered consistent results. He won major half marathons in Europe and the Middle East and later claimed victory at the World Road Running Championships half marathon.
In the same season, he was part of Kenya’s gold‑medal-winning team at the World Cross Country Championships, further cementing his reputation as a complete distance runner.
Marathon Career and World Record
Sawe made his full marathon debut in December 2024 at the Valencia Marathon.
Running with confidence, he won the race in 2 hours, 2 minutes and 5 seconds, one of the fastest marathon debuts ever recorded.
The result immediately placed him among the world’s leading marathon runners and marked the beginning of his dominance over the distance.
His rise continued in 2025.
In April, he won the London Marathon with a powerful solo performance, before adding another major title at the Berlin Marathon later in the year.
Across both races, Sawe showed a trademark style built on patience, late acceleration, and the ability to maintain pace when others faded.
That progression culminated in April 2026 at the London Marathon.
On April 26, running under ideal conditions, Sawe committed to an aggressive pace early and stayed in control through the halfway mark.
As the race unfolded, he pulled clear of his challengers and crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, becoming the first man to officially run a marathon in under two hours and setting a new world record.
The run was widely regarded as one of the greatest performances in the history of athletics.
It ended years of speculation about whether the two‑hour barrier could be broken in open competition and firmly established Sawe as the leading marathon runner of his generation.
Sawe is coached by Italian trainer Claudio Berardelli and does most of his training in Kapsabet, western Kenya.
Known for his reserved personality, he keeps a low profile away from competition and focuses heavily on training discipline and recovery.
Coaches and fellow athletes describe him as calm, analytical and highly focused.
At 30, Sabastian Sawe stands at the peak of men’s marathon running.
By breaking the two‑hour barrier in an official race, he not only claimed a world record but redefined what is possible in endurance sport, securing his place among the all‑time greats of distance running.
