Kenyan runner Sabastian Sawe made history by becoming the first athlete to run a marathon in under two hours in a competitive race to win the London Marathon.

Sawe broke the world record to complete the London Marathon in 1:59:30.

His time shatters the previous world record, held by the late athlete Kelvin Kiptum, who finished the Chicago Marathon in 2:00:35.

A sub two-hour marathon has long been one of athletics major barriers, comparable to the four-minute mile.

Eliud Kipchoge, also from Kenya, became the first man recorded to run a marathon in under two hours in 2019. However, his time did not count as a record as the race was held under controlled conditions.

On Sawe’s heels for much of the race was Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia, who faded during the marathon’s final stretch to take second place.

Yet Kejelcha also finished the race in under two hours, with a time of 1:59:41.

Asked if he had envisioned breaking a world record, Sawe told the BBC after the race, “We start the race well and approaching the end of finishing the race I was feeling strong.”

“I am so happy,” he added.

Also at the London Marathon on Sunday, Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia set a new women’s world record, crossing the finishing line with a time of 2:15:41, beating her own record set the previous year in London.