The temperature reached an uncomfortable 19°C for marathon runners on the streets of London, yet Sabastian Sawe saw an opportunity for victory.

An elite pack of nine male runners, including renowned competitors Eliud Kipchoge and Jacob Kiplimo, approached the 30km mark of the London Marathon, where a drinks station awaited. However, Sawe chose to forgo his drink, instead executing a bold move that swiftly created a gap. He covered the next mile in an impressive 4 minutes and 18 seconds and completed 5km in 13:56—only 12 seconds shy of the parkrun record, and almost comparable to Kelvin Kiptum’s world record split during the Chicago marathon in 2023.

This decisive action disrupted a stellar field; Kipchoge and Olympic champion Tamirat Tola fell behind, with only Kiplimo attempting to pursue him. By the 35km mark, Kiplimo trailed by 22 seconds, and Kipchoge was in eighth place, a further 23 seconds down.

Sawe’s victory, along with Tigst Assefa’s record-setting performance in the women’s race, where she finished at 2:15.50, marked a significant achievement for Adidas in the ongoing battle in racing footwear technology.

Sawe’s journey to this success is noteworthy. His uncle, Abraham Chepkirwok, competed in the 800m event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but it wasn’t until Sawe was 27 that he began to compete seriously as a distance runner on the international stage.

The 30-year-old Kenyan demonstrated mastery by winning last year’s Valencia marathon with a stellar time of 2:02.05. His audacious strategy to break away from the pack, undeterred by the caliber of his competitors, indicates that Kiplimo has a formidable rival.

Sawe clinched victory with a time of 2:02.27, finishing 70 seconds ahead of Kiplimo, who, despite setting a half-marathon world record earlier this year, struggled with the transition to marathon racing. Last year’s champion, Alexander Munyao, finished third, followed by Kipchoge, who crossed the line in sixth place at 2:05.25, still commendable for a runner in his 40s.

“My confidence was high, and I wanted to take advantage of that,” Sawe remarked. He focused primarily on his education in his early 20s rather than athletics. “I felt strong, and I recognized the opportunity to make a strong push.”

Notably, he ran the second half of the marathon faster than the first, even as temperatures rose, enhancing the impressiveness of his victory.

Sawe’s and Assefa’s wins were a resounding success for Adidas, particularly significant given that their main competitor, Nike, held both world records but had to watch as the Ethiopian runner, Assefa, delivered a powerful performance in the race’s final stages. After Sifan Hassan, the Olympic champion, was left behind, the contest for the women’s title became a face-off between Assefa and Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei, with Assefa creating a lead of nearly three minutes in the last 7km.

“Technology plays a crucial role in marathon running,” Assefa noted. “Running 42km requires all the protection available, and it certainly aids us in our performance.”

The weather conditions appeared nearly perfect, with clear skies and a starting temperature around 12°C, complemented by a gentle breeze that aided runners along the embankment toward The Mall.

This conducive environment allowed the lead pack in the men’s race to cover the initial 5km in 14:25, a full second faster than Kiptum’s pace during his world record of 2:00.35.

Amid this tension, Kipchoge remained poised behind the pacemakers, showing his characteristic smooth stride and composure, confident in his ability to compete, despite the signs of aging evident in his greying beard.

However, as the race progressed, Sawe distinctly showcased his strength, completing the race with a strong finish characterized by negative splits.

Others faced significant challenges during the race. Mahamed Mahamed was the first British finisher, placing ninth with a time of 2:08.52, while triathlete Alex Yee described his marathon debut as considerably tougher than clinching Olympic gold in triathlon last summer. Yee finished 14th in a respectable 2:11.08 but needed to recuperate with a chair and soda following the race. He commented, “There were many more difficult moments today. My legs were cramping, and I had to keep pushing; finishing was an accomplishment in itself. I’m honestly finding it hard to sit down, which is quite enlightening.”

The first British woman to finish was Eilish McColgan, who also had a challenging experience in her marathon debut. She began in the second group, aiming for around 2:18, but soon found herself running solo for much of the race in seventh place. Despite this, she managed to surpass her mother Liz’s previous best by two minutes, setting a new Scottish record of 2:24.25.

“I’m delighted to break my mum’s record, but it’s important to acknowledge the advancements in shoe technology today compared to her era,” the 34-year-old shared. “Also, the altitude training and nutrition are entirely different. She relied mainly on water and flat Coke.”