The Kenyan Sebastian Sawe made history by becoming the first man to complete an official marathon in less than two hours, winning the London Marathon with a time of 1h59min30s.
After the feat, he dismissed criticism that his sneakers represented a form of “mechanical doping”.
At 31 years old, he still broke the previous world record (2h00min35s), which belonged to the late Kelvin Kiptum from 2023.
Running, the athlete highlighted the comfort and lightness of the shoes as differentiators. Still, he was direct in responding to criticism: tennis is approved by the rules and, for him, there are no doubts about its legitimacy.
The men’s race was another chapter in the growing discussion about the influence of . In recent years, the evolution of so-called “super tennis” has redefined the limits of the sport.
In the women’s contest, the Ethiopian Tigst Assefa he also shone by winning and breaking his own world record in exclusive events (without male pacemakers), with a time of 2h15min41s, using the same model.
The absolute women’s world record remains with the Kenyan Ruth Chepng’etichwho clocked 2:09:56 in Chicago, in 2024. However, his recent trajectory has generated controversy following a suspension for doping in 2025, which has raised doubts among fans about the credibility of results in the sport.
For decades, running a sub-two-hour marathon was considered a virtually unattainable physiological limit. Records evolved slowly, often by seconds. However, in recent years, they have started to decline rapidly.
The turning point came with the introduction of technological footwear from Nikewhich inspired a race between brands. Independent studies indicate gains of 2% to 4% in running economy, enough to transform results in a 42.195 km race.
Technology in athletics
A World Athletics tried to contain the advance in 2020, imposing limits on the thickness of the sole and the number of carbon plates, without banning the technology.
Even so, the London race showed how much the sport has changed. The Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha He finished second in 1h59min41s, becoming the “second man” to break the barrier, just 11 seconds behind Sawe, in his marathon debut.
Defenders of the new era highlight that innovation has always been part of athletics. Critics, on the other hand, argue that current sneakers directly interfere with body mechanics, making comparisons with previous generations difficult.
