Sawe breaks two-hour mark to make marathon history as Lynch smashes Irish record

SABASTIAN SAWE SMASHED the marathon world record and became the first man to break the two-hour barrier in an official competition to win the London Marathon in 1:59.30.

The Kenyan defended his 2025 title, beating Yomif Kejelcha by 11 seconds. The Ethiopian runner-up also crossed the line in an astonishing 1:59.41, while Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda finished third in 2:00.28.

All three were faster than the previous official world record of 2:00.35 seconds set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in 2023, while Sawe’s time was also 10 seconds faster than the unofficial 1:59.40 set by Eliud Kipchoge in 2019.

Peter Lynch obliterated the Irish record, clocking 2:06:08 to finish ninth after a remarkable run as the first European home. 

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The Kilkenny 28-year-old shattered his previous best of 2:09:36 and broke Fearghal Curtin’s national record of 2:07:54, which was set last year.

There was also a new standard set in the women’s race, won by Tigst Assefa, who defended her London Marathon crown in a women’s-only world record 2:15.41, with both subject to official ratification.

Conditions were ideal in London, where the men got out to a blazing start, and Sawe was under the world record pace at the 10-kilometre mark before there was a collective let-up near Cutty Sark.

The main contenders remained grouped together five kilometres later, and at the halfway point Sawe clocked in at 1:00.29.

Sawe and Kejelcha eventually pulled ahead of Kiplimo, who was two seconds behind the leaders 30 kilometres in, and the front two had opened their lead even further five kilometres later.

Just as it looked like only the course record would be the one to fall, Sawe found another gear and set himself on course to make history.