Sabastian Sawe breaks the two-hour marathon barrier at the 2026 London Marathon in a competitive race

Sabastian Sawe became the first athlete to run a marathon in under two hours during an official competitive race, according to LetsRun. The milestone came at the 2026 London Marathon, marking a historic breakthrough for distance running.

A sub-two-hour marathon in open competition would reset expectations for elite endurance performance and race strategy. It could accelerate interest in super-shoe technology, pacing science, and course design as athletes and organizers chase even faster records.