Sabastian Sawe made history at the 2026 London Marathon after becoming the first athlete to run a legal marathon in under two hours on Sunday, April 26.
The Kenyan clocked 1:59:30 to retain his title, with Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha finishing 11 seconds later. Their performances marked the first time two runners dipped below the two-hour mark in an official race, rewriting the limits of endurance running.
The milestone run shattered the previous world record of 2:00:35 set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in 2023. Until this race, no athlete had officially broken even the 2:01 barrier, making the London showdown a defining moment for the sport. Sawe’s record, however, still awaits ratification by World Athletics.
Which shoes did Sebastian Sawe wear?
Both Sawe and Kejelcha raced in the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, a lightweight model weighing only 97 grams, around 30% lighter than its predecessor.
Developed with input from elite runners including Tigst Assefa, the shoe features a high-performance midsole designed for speed and efficiency. Retailing at 500 USD (approximately KSh 64,675), the model has now been linked to multiple records and major race victories, underlining the growing role of technology in elite marathon racing.
