World marathon champion Sebastian Sawe has set his sights on another historic milestone, targeting a marathon time of under 1:59:00 as he prepares to return to the London Marathon in 2027.
Sawe heads into the period as the world marathon record holder with a time of 1:59:30, which he clocked at the 2026 London Marathon to become the first man to officially complete a marathon in under two hours.
The Kenyan improved the previous world record by 65 seconds, surpassing the mark of 2:00:35 set by his compatriot, the late Kelvin Kiptum, at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.
Sawe believes his 1:59:30 world record can still be improved, particularly with better preparation, favourable weather conditions and effective pacing on race day.
“I know it is possible to run under 1:59,” Sawe told Daily Nation on Friday, October 2, while highlighting the importance of preparation, weather and pacing in achieving the target.
The Kenyan has been confirmed among the elite athletes expected to compete at the 2027 London Marathon, with the men’s race scheduled for April 24, 2027, as part of a special two-day edition.
Beyond improving his own world record, Sawe will also be chasing another piece of history — becoming the first man to win the London Marathon three consecutive times.
His London success began in 2025 when he won the race in 2:02:27. He returned in 2026 and went beyond simply defending his title, producing a historic world-record performance of 1:59:30.
In the 2026 race, Sawe finished ahead of Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who was second in 1:59:41, just 11 seconds behind the Kenyan. Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo finished third in 2:00:28.
Tibia fracture hinders Sawe
However, Sawe’s plans to continue competing in 2026 were disrupted by a stress fracture in the tibia of his right leg.
The injury forced him to withdraw from the Berlin Marathon on September 27, 2026, where he had been expected to defend his title and attempt another world-record challenge.
Medical examinations confirmed the stress fracture, forcing the marathon star to bring his 2026 racing season to an early end.
His immediate priority is now a full recovery before returning to training and competition. That recovery will be crucial as he begins preparations for the 2027 season and his expected return to London.
Sawe made his marathon debut in 2024 at the Valencia Marathon, announcing himself in impressive fashion by winning the race in 2:02:05.
In 2025, he continued his remarkable rise by winning the London Marathon in 2:02:27 before adding another major victory at the Berlin Marathon, where he clocked 2:02:16.
Those performances established Sawe among the leading marathon runners in the world.
The defining moment of his career came in London in 2026, when he broke the two-hour barrier officially and set the world record at 1:59:30.
Now, his attention is firmly on 2027, when he will attempt to write another chapter in marathon history — breaking the 1:59:00 barrier and winning the London Marathon for a third consecutive time.
