Sabastian Sawe has set a new world record in the marathon by finishing the London Marathon in 1:59:30, surpassing Kelvin Kiptum’s previous record of 2:00:35. Sawe’s victory marked his second consecutive win in the event and a significant improvement from his time of 2:02:27 last year. The intense competition in the elite men’s race came down to a close finish between Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha from Ethiopia.
Sawe managed to pull ahead of Kejelcha in the final stretch of the race, securing his place in history with a remarkable performance. Kejelcha also finished in under two hours, claiming the second spot in the race. The extraordinary display by Sawe left Olympic silver medallist Steve Cram at a loss for words, expressing astonishment at the unprecedented achievement.
Describing the event as historic, Cram compared Sawe’s accomplishment to other iconic sports moments like Roger Bannister’s four-minute mile. The impact of Sawe’s record-breaking run was further emphasized by Paula Radcliffe, who believed it would have a global resonance.
Sawe, confident in his ability to break the record, answered positively when questioned about his chances before the race. In the women’s elite race, Tigst Assefa defended her title with a time of 2:15:41, setting a new women’s London Marathon record. The podium also featured Hellen Obiri and Joyciline Jepkosgei from Kenya, finishing in second and third place, respectively.
In the wheelchair races, Marcel Hug of Switzerland secured his sixth consecutive victory in the men’s competition, matching David Weir’s record. Catherine Debrunner, also from Switzerland, successfully retained her title in the women’s wheelchair race. Additionally, Sky has enhanced its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle, now offering a comprehensive selection of channels and coverage, including popular streaming services like HBO Max, Netflix, and Disney+.
With an extensive lineup of live sports coverage, including over 1,400 matches from the Premier League and EFL, Formula 1, darts, and golf, Sky continues to provide a diverse viewing experience for sports enthusiasts.