Sebastian Sawe of Kenya speaks during an interview with The Associated Press after winning the London Marathon in London, Monday, April 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Sébastien Sauvé made history at the London Marathon on Sunday morning, defending his title for the second consecutive year by becoming the first man to complete the marathon in under two hours under official race conditions. The 31-year-old Kenyan, known as the “Silent Assassin” in his training camp, completed the 26.2-mile (42.2-kilometer) course in 1:59:30, breaking a long-standing barrier in competitive racing and setting a new world record in the process. Finally, he picked up an Adidas trainer, marking the moment, with the time written on it in pen. It was only the fifth marathon of Savay’s career, yet he took control of the race and crossed the line clearly in what was described as an outrageous performance. Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha also finished second in the two-hour time on The Mall with a time of 1:59:41, while Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo finished third with a time of 2:00:28.

Sebastian Sawe of Kenya celebrates winning the men’s race at the London Marathon in London, Sunday, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Sawe’s time erased 35 seconds from the previous official world record of 2:00:35 set by the late Kelvin Kiptom at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, and put him just 10 seconds faster than the unofficial 1:59:40 recorded by Eliud Kipchoge in 2019 under controlled conditions.

Prize money, bonuses and total earnings

If you were wondering how much the Kenyan star is taking home, Savay’s earnings from the race come from a mix of base prize money and a range of performance bonuses, creating a life-changing payout that could go a long way towards his family and his plans for the future. The base prize for winning the elite men’s race is $55,000 (approximately £40,000). Additionally, he qualified for every major performance bonus available:

This brings his confirmed prize pot to $355,000, approximately £263,000. Additional reports, including SunThere are suggestions that when sponsorship clauses and commercial bonuses are included, Saave could earn up to $1 million from the achievement. An Adidas athlete, he set the record wearing the Adios Pro Evo 3 shoes, which retail for around £450.

The winner of the men’s race, Sebastian Savay of Kenya, celebrates on the podium after the London Marathon, Sunday April 26, 2026. AP/PTI(AP04_27_2026_000113A)

Throughout the event, prize money has decreased from $55,000 for the winner to approximately $30,000 (£24,000) for second place and approximately $1,000 (£800) for 12th place.

what does he plan to do with the money

Sawe has already made it clear that his first priority is his family in Kenya. He plans to build a house for them and buy a car so they no longer have to walk, he also plans to complete a local church and assist relatives in traveling abroad. His father, Simeon, told the BBC through a translator: “The truth is, he promised us he would build us a house. And he said he would buy a car. So we won’t walk anymore.” “He also promised that he would finish building the church here – and that he would help us go abroad.” The family watched the race from rural western Kenya, where her mother Emily said she “jumped around the house” and was “so happy” when she crossed the line. He is planning big celebrations when he returns home as the world record holder.

Jati and Saave’s own words

About 59,000 runners took part in the London Marathon, but as Savay took the lead and maintained the lead, attention soon narrowed to the front in the men’s race. After the finale he credited the London crowd, telling Gabby Logan on the BBC: “First of all, I want to thank the crowd. “They help a lot. They helped a lot. You feel very happy and strong and moving forward. What comes to me today is not for me alone but for all of us in London.”

Sebastian Sawe of Kenya crosses the finish line to win the men’s race at the London Marathon in London on Sunday, April 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Savay’s preparation that day was quite simple, he said that before the race he got energy from “two slices of bread with ham and a cup of tea”.

context behind the performance

Savay served as a pacemaker at the 2022 Seville Half-Marathon before rising through the ranks, and this latest win marks a second consecutive London Marathon title. For years, the two-hour marathon hurdle was considered out of reach in official competition. Not only did Savay break it, but he did so with great tenacity, with another runner also falling short of the mark on the same day. The result is one of the most important performances in long distance running, both for time and for the variation that is considered achievable in race conditions.