Sabastian Sawe shattered the world record and made history by winning the London Marathon in under two hours, crossing the finish line in one hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds. The Kenyan’s time is the first official sub-two-hour marathon under World Athletics rules, breaking the previous world record of 2:00:35 set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2023. Eliud Kipchoge ran the distance in 1:59:40 in 2019, but that performance was not conducted under race conditions that meet official record standards.
Sawe accelerated in the final miles, seizing his opportunity. “I saw that I had an opportunity to push and I did,” he said. The 26-year-old, who won the 2025 London Marathon in 2:02:27 and the Valencia Marathon in December 2024 with a time of 2:02:05, delivered his most dominant performance yet on the streets of the capital.
Men’s elite race
Sawe led from a pack of six frontrunners who crossed Tower Bridge at the 12.1-mile mark still pushing a relentless pace. Ethiopian debutant Yomif Kejelcha finished second in 1:59:41, joining Sawe out in front after breaking away from the group. Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda, who missed out to Sawe in London last year, took third in 2:00:28 — a result that may have brought regret after he allowed Kejelcha to pull away.
Women’s elite race
Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia secured her second consecutive London Marathon victory and set a new world record for a women’s-only race, finishing in two hours, 15 minutes and 41 seconds. That time is nine seconds quicker than her 2025 performance. “I’m really happy to win and break the [women-only] world record today,” Assefa said. “I’ve worked really hard for this. The conditions were really good, as there was no wind. The pacemakers really pushed the pace early on, which suited me.”
Paula Radcliffe, the former world-record holder, described the day as “a perfect day to run quickly”, adding: “These women knew in their heads what they wanted to do. It’s a perfect temperature for marathon running.”
Hellen Obiri of Kenya took second in 2:15:53, and Joyciline Jepkosgei, also of Kenya, finished third in 2:15:55 — with all three women finishing under the two-hour-16-minute mark. During the race, BBC commentators noted “definite fatigue” in the eyes of Obiri and Jepkesgoi, while Assefa briefly missed her water bottle but managed to retrieve it.
Wheelchair races
Switzerland’s Marcel Hug claimed his sixth consecutive London Marathon victory in the men’s wheelchair race, crossing the line in one hour, 24 minutes and 13 seconds. The victory is Hug’s eighth London title overall, equalling the record held by British Paralympic athlete David Weir, who finished third in 1:29:23. Luo Xingchuan of China took second in 1:28:45. Hug, described by commentators as “incredibly dominant”, said: “Winning five in a row means a lot to me.” The start of the elite wheelchair races was delayed after a puncture suffered by British athlete Eden Rainbow-Cooper.
Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland won the women’s wheelchair race for the second consecutive year, sprinting past Tatyana McFadden down the Embankment to finish in 1:38:30. McFadden of the USA took second in 1:38:33, and Manuela Schär of Switzerland was third in 1:41:21. “I’m super proud that this is my third win at the London Marathon,” Debrunner said. “I’m a very good match with this course, it was a super strong field, the weather was great for me because I like it warm.”
Mass participation and notable moments
More than 59,000 runners were expected to take on the course on Sunday, surpassing last year’s record of 56,640 finishers, which had set a Guinness World Record for the largest number of finishers in a marathon. The London Marathon reported a world-record number of ballot entries for the 2026 race, meaning many who wanted to run missed out on a place. For those who did not get a spot, thousands took part in the unofficial overnight Reverse Marathon — a 26.2-mile run through the streets of London the night before the official event.
Weather conditions largely favoured running, with dry conditions, sunny intervals and light winds. Temperatures started around 10–11°C at race time and rose to a high of approximately 17°C by mid-afternoon, though earlier forecasts had suggested temperatures could reach 20°C. Early morning fog cleared as the day progressed.
Among the notable participants on the course was “Daddy Pig”, the Peppa Pig character, running to raise money for the National Deaf Children’s Society following the announcement last month that his son, George Pig, is moderately deaf. BBC hosts did not hold back in their criticism, noting he was “way off his PB (personal best) time” and that his training “has not gone well”, with one host also referencing his “snacks”.
Gordon Ramsay’s 24-year-old daughter ran her first London Marathon, raising funds for the non-profit organisation Feeding Britain. A host of other celebrities took part, including former Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel, Olympic sailor Sir Ben Ainslie, cricketer Sir Alastair Cook, jockey Sir AP McCoy, cyclist Dame Laura Kenny, footballer Aaron Ramsey, tennis player Laura Robson, and actor Cynthia Erivo, alongside many others.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan wished participants well in a message posted on the day, saying: “The big day is here! Good luck to every runner taking on the 26.2 mile journey through our capital today in the London Marathon.”
