The 2026 London Marathon has raised a record £87.5 million for charity, making it the biggest single-day fundraising event of its kind so far this year. Organizers said the total raised has surpassed last year’s £87.3 million, with the final figure expected to exceed £90 million when confirmed later this year, the BBC reports. The race held in London last Sunday also saw an excellent performance. Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe made history by becoming the first athlete to complete an official marathon in under two hours, clocking in at 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds. In the women’s race, Tigaste Assefa of Ethiopia set a new world record only for women with a time of 2 hours, 15 minutes and 41 seconds. The event also set a participation milestone, with 59,830 runners crossing the finish line – the highest number ever recorded in a marathon. Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events, described the day as extraordinary. He said, “It was an extraordinary day of world record setting, from the exceptional men and women running in such extraordinary times to the participation numbers and now the funds raised.” He said the support of runners and donors has taken the event to new heights. “It is fantastic to know that we have already surpassed our £87.3m world record for 2025,” he said. “A huge thank you to everyone who raised money, and to everyone who donated on such a wide scale.” The final fundraising total will be officially confirmed in September.