Sawe’s record-breaking marathon was about more than shoes. Here’s why
Kenyan runner Sabastian Sawe broke the two-hour marathon barrier at the 2026 London Marathon with a time of 1:59:30, marking a historic achievement in athletics. While attention focused on advanced running shoes from Adidas, Sawe's performance was also fueled by Maurten energy gels, highlighting the role of nutrition in elite endurance. The breakthrough reflects a broader trend of integrating sports science, technology, and fueling strategies to push human limits.
- ▪Sabastian Sawe became the first person to legally run a marathon under two hours with a time of 1:59:30 at the 2026 London Marathon.
- ▪Adidas shoes were worn by both Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha, who also finished under two hours in his debut marathon.
- ▪Maurten, a Swedish energy drink company, played a critical role in fueling elite marathoners aiming to break the two-hour barrier.
- ▪The article contrasts Sawe’s scientifically supported performance with the 1904 Olympic marathon won by Thomas Hicks, who used strychnine and cognac to finish.
- ▪Sports science, including footwear technology and nutrition, has been central to recent advances in marathon running times.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","dateModified":"2026-05-01T19:45:00Z","datePublished":"2026-05-01T19:45:00Z","description":"The Kenyan runner who broke the two-hour barrier in London benefited from technological advancement in kit but his secret was that he used Maurten energy gels.","headline":"Sawe’s record-breaking marathon was about more than shoes. Here’s why","keywords":"Sports science, Just in, Nutrition, Olympics, Health and nutrition, Off the field, Features","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Frances…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Sydney Morning Herald.