The winner, Sebastian Sawe from Kenya, ran in Adidas sports shoes weighing only 97 grams. Photo: AP
Historic world records were falling at the London Marathon
In London, Kenyan Sebastian Sawe was the first in history to run a distance of 42.195 kilometers in less than two hours in competitive marathon conditions with a time of one hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, setting a world record.
Second-placed Ethiopian Yomifa Kejelecha was only eleven seconds slower for his second run so far under the magic limit. The previous record was two hours and 35 seconds, set in 2023 by the late Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya, meaning that third-placed Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda was also faster than the previous record with a time of two hours and 28 seconds in third place. In the women’s competition, the Ethiopian Tigst Assefa won with a time of 2.15:41, which is a new world marathon record in the women’s competition.
“I feel amazing, I’m so happy. It’s a day I’ll remember. I made history in London and proved that a new generation can set a record,” he said. Sebastian Sawewho celebrated last year in London with a time of 2.02:27. “We started the marathon well and I felt strong even as I approached the finish line. When I got to the end and saw the time, I was so excited that I can’t describe it,” he added.
The achievement in Vienna was not considered a world record
He ran the second half of the royal distance in an incredible 59:01. “I came to the marathon in London for the second time. It was a very important performance for me, so I prepared well for it. What I did for four months paid off today. Everything depends on good preparation and discipline, I think I showed that nothing is impossible. Everything is possible, it’s just a matter of time when something so important happens.”
In October 2019, Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge already ran under two hours (1:59:40) in Vienna, but the record was not recognized because he ran in special shoes that were not available to others. At the same time, the standard competition rules regarding pace and fluids, which were given to him as needed throughout the run, were not followed. This included a pace car and alternating runners in a formation designed to reduce wind resistance.
Moreover, it was not an open competition, but Kipchoge was helped by invitees to run under the two-hour mark. His official personal best is 2.01:09 from Berlin 2022 and is now the fifth fastest marathon time of all time. He is also preceded by Kejelcha, who ran 42.195 kilometers for the first time in the British capital and finished in second place in history with a time of 1.59:41.
Adidas footwear weighs only 97 grams
Sawe and Kejelcha wore the same brand of footwear, the 97-gram adidas pro evo 3s, which Sawe predicted before the show could be the pair that would set a new world record. The thirty-one-year-old tried to prove that his previous matches were also clean.
Last year, Sawe and his team approached the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). They volunteered for a rigorous regime of additional doping tests, 25 of them, all unannounced, before he won the Berlin Marathon. The London Marathon, which is considered one of the six largest in the world, once again attracted an immense crowd of runners, including several famous names. Among the approximately 59,000 runners was Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel, who with a time of 2.59:08, which is considered an exceptional time for amateur runners, was almost an hour behind the new world record holder.
