Sebastian Sawe: Breaking Barriers and Inspiring the World

Kenyan marathon runner Sebastian Sawe was honored by President William Ruto for breaking the two-hour marathon barrier, setting a new world record in the London Marathon at 1:59:30. Sawe's achievement sparked national and global inspiration, surpassing the previous record by over a minute.

Kenyan marathon runner Sebastian Sawe made history by becoming the first person to complete an official marathon in under two hours. His remarkable finish time of 1:59:30 at the London Marathon shattered the athletics' elusive two-hour barrier.

President William Ruto honored Sawe at a State House ceremony, awarding him 8 million Kenyan shillings. Ruto praised Sawe's achievement, citing it as an expansion of 'the horizon of human potential' and an inspiration to both the nation and the world.

Sawe's victory improved on the previous world record of 2:00:35, set by fellow Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum in October 2023. Sawe's marathon journey began with a win in his debut in Valencia, December 2024, and he remains undefeated over this distance since.