A sub-2 hour marathon in London for historian Sebastian So

Kenya smashes the so-called ‘impossible barrier’ in 1:59:30 as Yomif Kejelcha runs 1:59:41 on a day of remarkable results.

For years, the two-hour barrier for the marathon was described as “impossible”. Then Eliud Kipchoge stunned the world running 1:59:41 In a carefully constructed time trial in Vienna 2019, but on a sunny Sunday morning in London, Kenyan runner Sebastian Soi smashed two hours in a phenomenal 1:59:30.

Not only did he defend his title, but he did so in emphatic style. “What a day to remember,” Soy said.

Running a two-hour marathon has been compared to Roger Bannister’s feat of breaking the world’s first four-minute mile in 1954. It has also been compared to the first man to walk on the moon. After Kipchoge’s unsanctioned run seven years ago, it has now also been carried out in a bona fide race.

The news will reverberate around the world and overshadow all the other great performances that took place on the historic day in the UK capital.

Among them was runner-up Yomif Kejelca, who also broke two hours with a time of 1:59:41. In third, Jacob Kiplimo edged Kelvin Kiptum’s world record of 2:00:35 in 2:00:28, while Mahamad Mahamed and Patrick Dever took Britain’s all-time Nos. 2 and 3 in 2:06:14 and 2:06:18.

Just ahead of the two Brits, Peter Lynch set a great Irish record of 2:06:08. Tigist Assefa set a women’s only world record of 2:15:41 in a great women’s race as well.

However, all the attention will deservedly go to Sawe. After crossing the halfway point in 60:29, he ran the second half in a blistering 59:01, pushing the pace in the closing stages with Kejelca hanging grimly on his heels, before finally giving way with about a mile to go.

Cynics point out that Save is from Kenya, a nation where drug use has been rampant in recent years. But the 31-year-old has teamed up with his sponsor to take as many drug tests as possible ahead of his races. “Doping is a cancer,” he claims, “and I want to prove that I’m clean.”

The same sponsor armed him new Adizero Adios Pro 3 — a shoe that’s lighter than a newborn kitten, and that helped propel him through 26.2 miles in a time that no one really expected this weekend, except maybe So.

More to follow…