The Race That Didn’t Feel Like a Record
The clock at the London Marathon finish line read 1:59:30, but Sabastian Sawe didn’t know it until the final kilometer. He wasn’t chasing time. He was chasing Yomif Kejelcha.
For 25 miles, the two men ran shoulder-to-shoulder, a tactical duel that unfolded in silence. We were patrolling each other, Sawe later explained. No surges, no breaks—just two athletes locked in a private war of attrition. The sub-two-hour pace was almost incidental. I only realised I was running two hours when finishing the race, he admitted. It was near the finish line when I saw the time, and I was so excited that I tried to push harder.
That push—an uncharacteristic late acceleration—wasn’t part of the plan. It was a response. Kejelcha had given everything, and Sawe, sensing the moment, dug deeper. For sure, racing with Yomif made a difference, he said. What I did yesterday, it’s because of him. He tried his best, and I tried my best. We pushed to our limits and ran sub-two.
The result rewrote the record books, but the race itself stood out for its competitive intensity. Two men, no pacers, no time checks—just a direct contest of endurance. It was the kind of performance that makes statisticians analyze the numbers and fans appreciate the purity of head-to-head competition.
The 1:58 Target: A Number or a Mind Game?
Sawe’s next goal is ambitious. One hour, 58 minutes. A time that would require him to improve his London mark by nearly a minute and a half, a substantial leap beyond the recent record-breaking performance.
When asked about his coach’s prediction that 1:58 was possible in his next race, Sawe smiled. It’s only a matter of time, he said. If you have good preparation for any race, then achieving anything is possible.
The phrasing is deliberate. Not a definitive statement, but an acknowledgment of potential. Sawe understands the stakes. His London performance demonstrated that breaking barriers is not just about individual capability but also about the right conditions. And if anyone can push those boundaries further, it’s a runner who just became the first man to break two hours in a major marathon without pacers.
Berlin, with its flat course and history of fast times, is the likely stage. The city has been the setting for several recent men’s world records, including the current standard of 2:00:35 set last year. Sawe’s London time was 30 seconds faster than that. Another improvement of this magnitude would enter uncharted territory.
What makes Sawe’s claim plausible isn’t just his fitness—it’s his racing style. Unlike some record attempts that rely on meticulously orchestrated pacing teams, Sawe thrives in competitive scenarios. His London win wasn’t a solo time trial; it was a strategic battle. If 1:58 is possible, it will likely be because someone forces him to run it, not because the clock alone demands it.
The Shoe That Changed the Marathon
Sawe didn’t just break the record—he did it in a shoe that weighs less than a deck of cards. The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, at 97 grams, is the lightest racing flat ever made. It’s also one of the most expensive, retailing for £450. The shoe has contributed to making the sub-two-hour marathon an expectation rather than an exception.
For more on this story, see Sebastian Sebu breaks two-hour barrier, wins London Marathon in 1:59:30.
The Evo 3 is the product of extensive research, developed through collaboration between Adidas engineers and athletes training at high altitude in Kenya and Ethiopia. The company states it delivers a greater forefoot energy return and improves running economy compared to its predecessor. The foam, Lightstrike Pro Evo, is significantly lighter than previous versions, while the carbon-infused midsole—dubbed “ENERGYGRIM”—integrates the plate into the shoe’s structure for enhanced performance.
Patrick Nava, Adidas’s general manager of running, described the development process as thorough. We went through more than a dozen iterations, he said. It was a long process, but it’s led to something we believe genuinely changes what a race-day shoe can feel like.
Sawe noticed the difference. On the Friday before the race, he told reporters the Evo 3 was the fastest shoe his feet had ever felt. By Sunday, he was holding up the pair he’d worn across the line, his time scrawled along the side in marker. The message was clear: This wasn’t just a performance. It was a demonstration of how technology can push athletic limits.
The debate over “super shoes” continues. Critics argue that the technology has turned marathons into an arms race, where the fastest runner isn’t necessarily the best athlete but the one with the best equipment. Defenders counter that shoes have always been part of the sport—what’s changed is the precision of the engineering.
What’s undeniable is the impact. In recent years, the men’s world record has improved at a notable pace. The current record is over three minutes faster than the mark set eight years ago. While shoes aren’t the only factor—fuelling strategies, training methods, and competitive depth have all played a role—they have accelerated the rate of progress.
The Doubt That Won’t Go Away
Sawe’s record came with an asterisk that has nothing to do with shoes or pacing. It’s the one that follows many Kenyan marathoners: doping concerns.
In recent years, numerous Kenyan athletes have been banned for performance-enhancing drugs, including some high-profile marathoners. The country’s reputation has been affected, and even clean athletes like Sawe are often met with skepticism.
His response has been transparency. Adidas has funded frequent, unannounced drug tests through the Athletics Integrity Unit. In the lead-up to a previous race, he was tested multiple times out of competition, with the same protocol continuing ahead of London. It’s very important to me because it removes doubt from my career and yesterday’s performance, he said. It shows that running clean is possible and that we can achieve great results without shortcuts.
The message is aimed at two audiences: the global running community, which has grown increasingly cautious, and Kenya’s next generation of athletes. Doping has become a significant issue in my country, Sawe said. We must eliminate doubts about individual results.
It’s a rare moment of advocacy from an athlete who otherwise keeps a low public profile. Sawe doesn’t seek controversy, but he’s aware of the challenges. The funding for additional testing isn’t just an insurance policy—it’s a statement about the importance of clean competition.
The Champion Who Eats Rice and Chicken
Sawe’s post-race meal was simple: two slices of bread with honey, tea, and later, rice with a piece of chicken. No champagne, no celebration. I didn’t drink anything to celebrate, just water, he said. It’s a routine that reflects his approach to running: disciplined, practical, and focused on the work.
His journey to the top wasn’t a fairy tale. I started running back in primary school, he said. But I mostly focused on studies first. In my mind, I knew one day I would be a champion, and it came true. Because finally, I’m a champion.
The humility is striking, especially in a sport where athletes often cultivate larger-than-life personas. Sawe’s story is one of steady progress. He didn’t burst onto the scene as a prodigy. He didn’t switch events for fame or money. He ran, he improved, and when the moment came, he delivered.
That moment, though, wasn’t just about him. It was about a country. Kenya has produced more world-class marathoners than any other nation, but its dominance has been overshadowed by doping scandals. Sawe’s sub-two-hour performance was a chance to shift the narrative. It keeps the awareness that my results are trustworthy, and that I am a clean athlete, he said.
Now, with 1:58 in his sights, he’s not just chasing a time. He’s reinforcing the idea that greatness can be achieved through hard work and integrity.
What to Watch Next
Sawe’s next race will likely be Berlin in the fall. The course is fast, the field will be competitive, and the clock will be ticking. But the real story won’t be the time—it’ll be the way he gets there.
Will he run alone, with a team of pacers to shield him from the wind? Or will he find another rival who pushes him to dig deeper than ever before? The answer will determine whether 1:58 remains a target or becomes a reality.
One thing is certain: The marathon’s limits are being tested like never before. And Sabastian Sawe, the champion who eats rice and chicken, is at the forefront of that evolution.
