Ethiopian Runner Yomif Kejelcha Finishes London Marathon Under Two Hours in Second Place

Ethiopian runner Yomif Kejelcha finished the 2026 London Marathon in second place with a time of 1:59:41, becoming one of the first athletes to complete an official marathon under two hours. The event took place on April 26, 2026, in London, England.

Kejelcha, 28, described the achievement as unexpected, stating in an interview with NPR on April 28 that he had not anticipated breaking the two-hour mark in his marathon debut.

won the race with a time of 1:59:30, setting a new world record by reducing the previous mark by 65 seconds. Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo placed third with a time of 2:00:28, which also surpassed Kiptum's previous record. Kejelcha noted that he and Sawe maintained a competitive pace together until the final mile, when Sawe pulled ahead.

Preparation Kejelcha has a history of achievements in distance running, including setting the world indoor mile record in 2019, the half-marathon world record in Valencia in 2024, and earning a silver medal in the 10,000 meters at the 2025 world championships in Tokyo. He attributed his performance to six months of training in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, at high altitude, supportive coaching, suitable weather during the race, and lightweight shoes from adidas, specifically the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 model.

Kejelcha emphasized the role of discipline and hard work in his success.

the NPR interview, Kejelcha said he was happy with his result despite finishing second and congratulated Sawe after the race. He described their rivalry as friendly and expressed hope to run his next marathon in under 1:59:00. Kejelcha stated that the sub-two-hour finishes by multiple runners could inspire younger athletes.

He has not yet planned his next race but noted that he finds half-marathons more challenging than full marathons.