Sabastian Sawe, the 31-year-old Kenyan athlete, made history by becoming the first man to break the two-hour mark barrier in the London Marathon. He recorded a time of one hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, shaving 65 seconds off the previous world record set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2023.
Sawe's achievement also shed light on the super shoe he wore for the event – the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3. This running gear was worn by Sawe, Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia, and Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha, all of whom set record-breaking performances in the London Marathon.
In a wide-ranging conversation, Sawe opened up on the performance and what he makes of the naysayers who continue to put down his running time in the London Marathon, just because of the shoes he was wearing.
'A result like this comes from years of hard work, not one race,' Sawe said in response to the critics. 'The shoe is definitely part of that, but there are other factors too. It's the training, the team, and the effort we all put in every day.'
Sawe's achievement has sparked a lot of chatter about the super shoe and its impact on marathon running. He explained that the shoe feels very light and responsive, which helps him stay efficient over the distance.
When asked about the two-hour mark, Sawe said that he wasn't thinking too much about it during the marathon. 'I knew I had prepared well with the support of my team, and there were moments during the race where everything felt strong,' he said.
Sawe's win has also led many naysayers to downplay his achievement and attribute it to just light shoes. However, Sawe remains focused on his preparation and performance, saying that 'a result like this comes from years of hard work, not one race.'
