Jacob Kiplimo: I don’t fear Sabastian Sawe and a sub 1:58 marathon is now possible

TL;DR

Jacob Kiplimo achieved a personal best of 2:00:28 at the 2026 London Marathon, narrowly missing the world record. He expressed excitement about the potential for a sub-1:58 marathon following Sabastian Sawe's groundbreaking finish of 1:59:30.

Key points

Jacob Kiplimo finished third in the 2026 London Marathon
Kiplimo achieved a personal best of 2:00:28
Sabastian Sawe broke the two-hour marathon barrier with 1:59:30
Marathon world records have been revised significantly in recent years
Advancements in shoe technology and nutrition are key factors

Jacob KiplimoSabastian SaweLondon Marathon 2026

Kenya's Sabastian Sawe and Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo pose with their trophies at the London Marathon 2026 (AFP via Getty Images)

Jacob Kiplimo is still laughing at the absurdity of what was achieved last Sunday in the TCS London Marathon 2026. The Ugandan, who finished third, in a new personal best (2:00:28), which beat the late Kelvin Kiptum’s previous world record by seven seconds, chuckles when he learns that fellow competitor and runner-up Yomif Kejelcha is the only marathoner in history to never complete the distance in two hours or more.

Kejelcha was edged out by Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe, whose immortal achievement of breaking two hours (1:59:30) for the first time in race conditions came as both men reimagined the possibilities in the sport on a historic day in the capital.

Kiplimo, conscious of the furious rate at which the men’s marathon world record books have been revised, speaks to the Independent with great excitement about the sport’s future. After 18 years, Eliud Kipchoge slashed 4:03 off the original mark at the turn of the century, but now in just four years another 2:09 has come off the mark, owing to shoe technology and strides made in the volume of carbohydrates consumed mid-race.

"I think maybe now it's possible to run under 1:58,” Kiplimo, a member of Samsung’s Team Galaxy, remarks. “In some years, for me, it's just a matter of time, but I think also right now, I'm not thinking just about the world record, because I was just saying that if people are now running 1:59, I think the next goal, if you want to break that record, you need to run 1:58. We never know in the future, but yes, for me it’s just a matter of time.”

Q&A

What was Jacob Kiplimo's finishing time at the 2026 London Marathon?

Jacob Kiplimo finished the 2026 London Marathon with a personal best time of 2:00:28.

Who broke the two-hour marathon barrier at the London Marathon 2026?

Sabastian Sawe broke the two-hour marathon barrier with a time of 1:59:30 at the London Marathon 2026.

How has marathon world record progression changed recently?

In the last four years, the men's marathon world record has improved by 2:09, largely due to advancements in shoe technology and nutrition strategies.

What are Jacob Kiplimo's thoughts on the future of marathon running?

Jacob Kiplimo is optimistic about the future of marathon running, believing that a sub-1:58 marathon is now possible.