Kenya’s Sawe smashes marathon record in London run

LONDON: Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe delivered a historic performance at the London Marathon, breaking the world record for an official marathon by finishing in under two hours.

Sawe crossed the finish line in a time near to close 2 hours, beating the previous benchmark set by Eliud Kipchoge during his unofficial sub-two-hour run in 2019 by 10 seconds.

The 29-year-old star, who won the London Marathon on debut last year, has now extended his remarkable streak to four wins in four races over the 26.2-mile distance.

Sawe’s rise in athletics was shaped by his uncle, Abraham Chepkirwok, an 800m competitor at the 2008 Olympics, and a school teacher who encouraged him early on, saying, “Running is not just talent – it’s your fortune and your future.”