All 21 runners that set world records at 2026 London Marathon as Sabastian Sawe breaks two-hour mark

Kenya's Sabastian Sawe became the first person to run the London Marathon in under two hours on Sunday - but what about the ordinary runners who set their own records?

Sawe recorded a time of 1:59.30, which makes him one of only two people in history to break the two-hour barrier in any official marathon.

The previous world record was held by fellow Kenyan long-distance runner Kelvin Kiptum, who ran a time of 2:00.35 back in 2023. Kiptum and his coach were killed in a car crash in February 2024.

Remarkably, Sawe and two other runners - Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha and Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo - ran under Kiptum's best time, with Kejelcha also breaking the two-hour barrier with a time 11 seconds slower than Sawe.

In the women's event, Tigst Assefa set a new world record time of 2:15.41, defeating her previous best by nine seconds and defending her London Marathon title that she won in 2025.

Both Sawe and Assefa won their respective elite marathon categories, while there were also elite wheelchair races for each gender.

Aside from those, all the other competitors in the marathon were competing for charity, ranging from a runner in a Daddy Pig outfit to four-time Formula 1 champion Sebastian Vettel.

Read more: From Aaron Ramsey to Sebastian Vettel: How celebrities fared in the London Marathon

In total, 59,830 runners crossed the finish line at the end of the 26.2 miles, breaking a new world record.

Guinness World Records recognised 19 runners for their outstanding achievements, including those who donned some outlandish costumes for the occasion.

Iain Grigor, for instance, is the new world record holder for the fastest marathon dressed as a train (male - suggesting that others have tried this before), having set a time of 4:43.46 while dressed as Thomas the Tank Engine.

Matt Bachelor completed the fastest marathon dressed as a three dimensional toy (again, male) in a time of 4:19.23, while Reef Rounding dressed as a Polaroid camera and ran the 26.2 miles in 3:36.50.

And Simon Fannon knitted a 5.59-metre scarf to run in 5:48.08.

There were then some remarkable feats of resilience and athleticism, with Megan Sullivan breaking the record for fastest marathon with unilateral hip replacement (female) by running 4:44.33.

Chelsea Grogan ran 2:59.32 to complete the fastest marathon with multiple sclerosis (female), while Matthew Akpan (3:19.16) ran the fastest marathon (male) by an athlete in the II1 intellectual impairment category.

Here is the full list of world records set at the 2026 London Marathon.

Longest scarf knitted whilst running a marathon - Simon Fannon (5.59 metres, 5:48.08)

Fastest marathon dressed in a football kit (female) - Harriet Lucero (4:52.17)

Fastest marathon with unilateral hip replacement (female) - Megan Sullivan (4:44.33)

Fastest marathon dressed as a train (male) - Iain Grigor (4:43.46)

Fastest marathon dressed as a three dimensional toy (male) - Matt Bachelor (4:19.23)

Fastest marathon dressed in traditional Nepalese dress (female) - Tejmaya Regmi Sigdel (3:37.50)

Fastest marathon dressed as a camera - Reef Rounding (3:36.50)

Fastest marathon dressed as a microphone (male) - Daniel Hudson (3:35.51)

Fastest marathon dressed as a swimmer (female) - Sharon Jones (3:35.17)

Fastest marathon dressed as an emoji (male) - Stuart Hayes (3:31.39)

Fastest marathon in a netball kit - Dale Palmer (3:28.51)

Fastest marathon wearing a suit and dress shoes (male) - Boudewijn Dominicus (3:21.42)

Fastest marathon (male, ii1) - Matthew Akpan (3:19.16)

Fastest marathon with multiple sclerosis (female) - Chelsea Grogan (2:59.32)

Fastest marathon dressed as an academic - Alexander Betts (2:55.26)

Fastest marathon dressed as a supervillain - Ben Green (2:48.15)

Fastest marathon wearing clogs (male) - Harley Smith (2:47.42)

Fastest marathon dressed as a cheerleader (male) - George Carley (2:46.48)

Fastest marathon dressed as a book character - Archie Hunt (2:27.41)

Fastest marathon (female, women-only race) - Tigst Assefa (2:15.51)

Fastest marathon (male) - Sabastian Sawe (1:59.30)