Sabastian Sawe said he was living proof “nothing is impossible” after becoming the first athlete to break the two-hour barrier in an official competition to win the London Marathon in a world record 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds.

The Kenyan defended his 2025 title, beating debutant Yomif Kejelcha by 11 seconds. The Ethiopian runner-up also crossed the line in an astonishing 1:59:41 hours, while Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda finished third in 2:00:28.

All three were faster than the previous official world record of 2:00:35 set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in 2023, while Sawe’s time was also 10 seconds faster than the unofficial 1:59:40 set by Eliud Kipchoge in a 2019 exhibition.

“I think I’ve made history today in London, and for the new generation [it shows] to run a record is possible,” Sawe said. “It depends on the preparation you had and the discipline you had, so for me I think I have shown them that nothing is impossible.

“Everything is possible with a matter of time. I was ready today. I was well-prepared for the London Marathon and for today’s results. I’m so happy because I had a lot of courage to push, even when the pace was fast.

“It’s something not to be forgotten, something to be remembered, and it will remain in my mind forever.”