On Sunday, 26th April 2026, Sebastian Sawe became the first runner to complete a sanctioned marathon in under two hours. The Kenyan superstar won the London Marathon in 1:59:30, a record that endurance athletes have targeted for decades. But what’s next following such a symbolic milestone?
Many have come close to running a sub-2-hour marathon over the years. Kelvin Tiptum missed out by just 36 seconds at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, while his compatriot, Eliud Kipchoge, ran 2:01:09 in Berlin in 2022. Kipchoge did actually break the 2-hour barrier in 2019. However, the Ineos 1:59 Challenge featured pacemakers and a hydration bicycle, making his time unofficial.
Will There Be More Sub-2-Hour Marathons in 2026?
Sawe shocked news reporters by claiming he could have run even faster in London. The 31-year-old and his rivals have opportunities to go faster than two hours in the remainder of 2026. So, look out for potential records at these races:
- Sebastian Sawe at the Berlin Marathon (Sunday, 27 September, 2026)
- Jacob Kiplimo and John Korir at the Chicago Marathon (Sunday, 11 October, 2026)
- Yomif Kejelcha and John Korir at the Valencia Marathon (Sunday, 6 December, 2026)
Don’t forget that Kejelcha also ran a sub-2-hour London Marathon. However, he didn’t receive anywhere near the same plaudits, despite being just 11 seconds behind Sawe.
Is a Sub-1:58 Marathon Possible?
A sub-1:59 marathon is the next obvious record to beat. However, going below 1:58 has a nice ring to it and it has already been touted by Sawe. This would require all elements to be right. Anything else and runners have to compensate from the start line.
Average mile times of 4.29 minutes (2.47/km) are needed to achieve this feat. Sawe, who fuels his rigorous training regime on bread and honey, ran a final 10km of 27:21! He smashed the previous record by 65 seconds, the biggest improvement since 2018!
Shoe technology can also play a key role. A lighter shoe or one that delivers a better energy return per stride could be the difference. The best thing is that such products are available to the average runner, too, not just Sawe et al. Claudio Berardelli, Sawe’s coach, teased running fans after he said his prized asset could go faster on better-suited courses. The Berlin and Chicago races later in the year could be interesting!
What Do The Stats Say?
While most eyes are on Sawe, others are focusing on Kiplimo. The 25-year-old Samsung Team Galaxy member has talked up a sub-1:58 marathon. The Ugandan’s training regime spans 220km per week and the half-martathon world record holder (57:20) has said that a new record is “only a matter of time”. Sawe’s London Marathon time was the equivalent of a 56:07 half marathon.
The marathon books are regularly revised. Kipchoge shaved 4:03 minutes off the record in 2000. Things have progressed much quicker over the last two years, with an additional 2:09 minutes taken off. Learn about marathon records below:
- Khalid Khannouchi: 2:05:38 (Chicago, 2002)
- Paul Tergat: 2:04:55 (Berlin, 2003)
- Haile Gabrselassie: 2:04:26 (Berlin, 2007)
- Haile Gabrselassie: 2:03:59 (Berlin, 2007)
- Patrick Makau: 2:03:38 (Berlin, 2011)
- Wilson Kipsang: 2:03:28 (Berlin, 2013)
- Dennis Kimetto: 2:02:57 (Berlin, 2014)
- Eliud Kipchoge: 2:01:39 (Berlin, 2018)
- Eliud Kipchoge: 2:01:09 (Berlin, 2022
- Kevin Kiptum: 2:00:35 (Chicago, 2023)
- Sebastian Kawe: 1:59:30 (London, 2026)
Who Will Break the Women’s Marathon Record?
Ruth Chepngetich ran the 2024 Chicago Marathon in 2:09:56 to smash the previous record. In doing so, the Kenyan long-distance runner became the first female to break the 2-hour and 10-minute mark.
This was almost two minutes quicker than the previous record, and broke Chipngetich’s previous PB by almost more than four minutes! Who knows, we could see a sub 2-hour and 8-minute female record in the coming years.
Ethiopian duo Fotyen Tesfay and Tigst Assefa are Chipngetich’s closest rivals. They have marathon bests of 2:10:53 and 2:11:53, respectively, but they both have plenty of time to go faster over 26.2 miles. All eyes will be on the Berlin and Chicago marathons later in the year.
