Sabastian Sawe Sets First Official Sub-Two-Hour Marathon Record in London

Apr 26, 2026, 21:49

Introduction

Kenyan athlete Sabastian Sawe has become the first person to complete an official marathon in under two hours. He recorded a time of 1:59:30 at the London Marathon on Sunday, establishing a new world record and marking a major milestone in long-distance running.

Main Body

Sawe won the race, followed by Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha, who finished in 1:59:41 in his first marathon, and Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo, who took third place with a time of 2:00:28. All three runners beat the previous official world record of 2:00:35 set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2023. Furthermore, Sawe's time is faster than the unofficial mark of 1:59:40 achieved by Eliud Kipchoge in 2019. Sawe managed his pace effectively, running the second half of the race faster than the first. Several technical factors and strict preparations contributed to these results. Sawe and Kejelcha wore the Adidas Adios Pro Evo 3, a lightweight racing shoe. The manufacturer claimed that this model improves energy return and running efficiency compared to older versions. Additionally, Sawe's coach, Claudio Berardelli, emphasized a demanding training plan that reached 241 kilometers per week. Sawe also mentioned that his pre-race diet of bread, honey, and tea helped his performance. Other notable achievements occurred during the event. Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa defended her title and set a women's-only world record of 2:15:41. In the wheelchair races, Switzerland's Marcel Hug won his eighth title, while Catherine Debrunner won the women's race. Meanwhile, the event attracted a record number of participants, with over 60,000 people starting the race. Regarding athletic integrity, Sawe and his sponsors worked with the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) to undergo strict testing before the race to ensure transparency, as there has been historical scrutiny regarding doping in Kenyan athletics.

Conclusion

Sabastian Sawe has changed the standard for elite marathon running by officially breaking the two-hour barrier. This result, supported by advanced technology and intense training, is now the current world record awaiting final official approval.

Vocabulary Learning

effective (adj.)

Producing the desired result; successful有效的

Example:His pacing was effective, allowing him to finish strong.

integrity (n.)

Adherence to moral and ethical principles; honesty誠信

Example:Athletes must maintain integrity to ensure fair competition.

milestone (n.)

Significant event that marks an important point in progress重要里程碑

Example:Breaking the two‑hour barrier was a milestone for long‑distance running.

technical (adj.)

Relating to specialized knowledge or skills技術性的

Example:The shoes had a technical design that improved energy return.

unofficial (adj.)

Not officially recognized or sanctioned非正式的

Example:Kipchoge's 1:59:40 time was an unofficial record.

Sentence Learning

Sawe won the race, followed by Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha, who finished in 1:59:41 in his first marathon, and Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo, who took third place with a time of 2:00-28.

Relative Clause: The clauses "who finished in 1:59:41 in his first marathon" and "who took third place with a time of 2:00-28" provide additional information about Yomif Kejelcha and Jacob Kiplimo.關係子句: 這兩個子句「who finished in 1:59:41 in his first marathon」和「who took third place with a time of 2:00-28」為關於耶米夫·基耶爾查和雅各布·基普洛莫的額外資訊。

All three runners beat the previous official world record of 2:00:35 set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2023.

Passive Voice: The phrase "set by Kelvin Kiptum" uses passive voice to describe who established the record.被動語態: 片語「set by Kelvin Kiptum」使用被動語態說明誰制定了紀錄。

Sawe managed his pace effectively, running the second half of the race faster than the first.

Comparative: The comparison "faster than the first" shows that the second half was quicker than the first half.比較級: 「faster than the first」表明比賽的後半段比前半段更快。

Sawe also mentioned that his pre-race diet of bread, honey, and tea helped his performance.

Subordinate Clause: The clause "that his pre-race diet of bread, honey, and tea helped his performance" provides the information that Sawe mentioned.從屬子句: 子句「that his pre-race diet of bread, honey, and tea helped his performance」說明了 Sawe 提到的內容。

Regarding athletic integrity, Sawe and his sponsors worked with the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) to undergo strict testing before the race to ensure transparency, as there has been historical scrutiny regarding doping in Kenyan athletics.

Linking Word: The word "as" introduces a reason—because there has been scrutiny—explaining why strict testing was carried out.連接詞: 「as」引入原因「因為曾有關注」說明為何進行嚴格測試。