Munich (Germany) (AFP) – I know it is possible to run under 1h59,” Kenyan Sabastian Sawe, holder of the marathon world record since his feat in London in April, told AFP, adding that there were “no limits” for marathon runners.

Published on: 09/30/2026 - 1:00 p.m.

In April, Sabastian Sawe became the first athlete to break the legendary two-hour barrier during the London Marathon in 1 hour 59 minutes 30 seconds. Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha also broke this mark, finishing second in 1h 59m 41s.

“I know it is possible to run under 1h59,” Sawe explained in an interview with AFP in Berlin. “It's hard to predict how fast I will be, but (it's possible) if we have good weather conditions, good pace and if I'm in good shape.”

"We don't know what the coming years have in store for us, because other people will arrive and do something great. For now, there is no limit," added Sawe, whose record could be threatened as early as December in Valencia, where Kejelcha is announced.

The two-hour marathon mark has long been considered a limit for the human body. Improvements in training and nutrition, as well as the technological contribution of shoes with carbon plates and ultra-light foam, have revolutionized the discipline in recent years.

Winner in Berlin in 2025, Sawe had to, due to an injury, give up the race this year in the streets of the German capital, on a course with a favorable profile and known to be fast, where 13 world records (men and women) have already been broken.

“It was hard, but I have to accept it because injuries are part of the race. I learned a lot and I understood that patience is important,” said the 31-year-old runner. He hopes to return to London in 2027, but his sights are already set on the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028, to do "something special".

“In shock” for Assefa

Present on Sunday in Berlin, Sawe closely followed the race of the Ethiopian Tigst Assefa, who set out to improve by around twenty seconds the women's world record (2h09:56) held since September 2024 by the Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich.

In March 2025, Chepngetich tested positive for hydrochlorothiazide, a banned diuretic, and is suspended for three years from April 19, 2025. Her previous positive test performance is for the moment maintained.

Assefa was leading a pace to complete her race around 2:09:30, when she suffered an injury, finishing the Berlin marathon with a complete rupture of her right Achilles tendon. She had surgery on Monday in Munich, and will be absent for several months.

"When I saw what was happening, I was in shock, because she was really running a good race. Everything was perfect for her. She was running to achieve something that she worked hard for," Sawe said.

“It is certain that she will do it (beat the world record), because Tigst is a very strong woman, and her mentality is unique. She has the courage to push her limits. She has always been a winner,” stressed the Kenyan.

Cases of doping in Kenyan athletics have increased in recent years, and to try to allay any suspicion about his performance, Sawe has asked to be tested more often, a specific testing regime that began in the summer of 2025 and is still ongoing.

“Even with everything I have accomplished, I want to show the world that not all athletes cheat. It is a good habit for athletes to pass many tests to prove that they run cleanly and win cleanly,” he concluded.

© 2026 AFP

The content you are trying to access does not exist or is no longer available.