A Historic Day at the London Marathon: Breaking the Two-Hour Barrier
In an astonishing feat at the 2026 London Marathon, Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia achieved what many thought impossible: completing the marathon in less than two hours. With a time of 1:59:41, Kejelcha shattered the long-standing goal of marathon runners worldwide. However, despite his remarkable achievement, Kejelcha finished just 11 seconds behind Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe, who became the first man to officially run a marathon under two hours.
Reflecting on his performance, Kejelcha, 28, expressed disbelief over his accomplishment. Speaking to NPR, he said, “This is so crazy. It’s too hard to believe… I don’t have words for it really.” Before the race, Kejelcha had doubted his ability to break the two-hour mark, stating in an interview that it was “not possible” for him in his first marathon.
Despite finishing second, Kejelcha was not disheartened and expressed happiness about his sub-two-hour achievement. He remarked, “I’m not upset. I’m not angry. I’m very, very happy because I broke two hours.” His competitive spirit remained unshaken as he looked forward to future races, hoping to surpass Sawe’s record next time.
The marathon also saw Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo break the previous world record set by the late Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum in 2023, although Kiplimo finished third with a time of 2:00:28. In a year marked by extraordinary performances, Kejelcha and his competitors set new standards for marathon running.
Kejelcha, a versatile runner known for his achievements on the track and road, has a history of setting records, including holding the world indoor mile record since 2019 and the half-marathon world record in Valencia in 2024. Regardless of his second-place finish, Kejelcha felt proud and “great” about his performance.
During the race, Kejelcha and Sawe maintained a close contest, motivating each other throughout. They managed to outpace Kiplimo between 18 and 21 miles, but Sawe secured his lead in the final mile, ultimately setting a new world record by shaving 65 seconds off the previous mark.
Kejelcha’s journey to the marathon was supported by several factors, including his use of the adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 shoes, his dedicated coaches, and extensive training in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He credits his wife for her support and adherence to his nutrition plan, stating that there’s no secret to his success other than “hard work” and “discipline.”
Although he has no immediate plans for another marathon, Kejelcha remains an inspiration for aspiring athletes, proving that with determination, the boundaries of human endurance can be pushed further. For now, he cherishes his record-setting debut and looks forward to what the future holds in his athletic career.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
