Kenyan athlete Sabastian Sawe achieved an incredible feat at the London Marathon today, clocking in under two hours. He not only set a new world record and defended his title but also officially became the first human to break the two-hour barrier in a marathon. At the midpoint of the race, Sawe led a leading group of six with a time of 1:00:29. In the final stages, he and Ethiopian runner Yomif Kejelcha pulled away from the pack. The two battled until near the finish line, where Sawe accelerated to cross in 1:59:30. Kejelcha, making his marathon debut, also broke the two-hour mark with 1:59:41, the fastest debut in history. Jacob Kiplomo of Uganda finished third in 2:00:28. All three beat the previous world record of 2:00:35 held by the late Kelvin Kiptum. Sawe expressed his joy, saying he had full confidence before the race and felt powerful near the finish. While Eliud Kipchoge ran 1:59:40 in 2019, that event was not recognized as a world record due to its non-standard pacing and closed nature.
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- Source: CNA (Central News Agency)
- Category: Event