The President of Kenya generously honored the London Marathon record holder
Kenyan runner Sebastian Sawa became the first person in history to officially complete a marathon (42.195 km) in under two hours.
At the race in London on April 26, he clocked a time of 1:59:30, breaking the previous record of 2:00:35 set by Kelvin Kiptum in Chicago in 2023. Capital FM reported this, noting that the athlete received a state award for this incredible achievement.
During a ceremony in Nairobi, Kenyan President William Ruto presented the athlete with a prize of 8 million Kenyan shillings (about $62,000) and a new car with the unique license plate “01:59:30.” The head of state compared Sawa’s achievement to Neil Armstrong’s moon landing, emphasizing that the athlete had pushed the boundaries of human capability. In the race itself, Sawa finished ahead of Ethiopian Yomifa Kejelcha, who also clocked an outstanding time of 1:59:41.
This result marked the first time in the history of track and field that a “sub-2” (running under two hours) was recorded at an official certified race without the use of artificial aids, such as pacemakers. Sawel completed the second half of the course in a record 59:01, demonstrating phenomenal speed in the final kilometers. Kenyan authorities emphasized that such victories shape the country’s positive image on the world stage better than any diplomatic investment.
The 2026 London Marathon became the world’s largest in terms of the number of people who made it to the finish line. Organizers set a new Guinness World Record, surpassing New York’s previous achievement.
Kenyan runner Sebastian Sawa set a historic record at the London Marathon, completing the distance in 1:59:30. He became the first athlete to run a marathon (42 km 195 m) in under two hours in an official open race.
