Yomif Kejelcha made an unforgettable marathon debut at the London Marathon, finishing in 1:59:41 and becoming only the second person ever to run a marathon in under two hours.
He came just 11 seconds behind Sabastian Sawe of Kenya, who won the race in a world-record time of 1:59:30. Despite finishing second, Kejelcha set a record of his own—the fastest marathon debut in history.
The 28-year-old Ethiopian had built his career on shorter distances, including holding records in the half-marathon and indoor mile. Going into the race, he didn’t expect such a historic result, aiming simply to run just over two hours.
For most of the race, Kejelcha and Sawe ran side by side, controlling the pace together. But in the final stretch, Sawe pulled ahead, creating the small gap that decided the race.
Even so, Kejelcha was thrilled. He described the moment as “history” and said the experience has changed everything for him, boosting his confidence for future races.
Now, after achieving a lifelong dream, he plans to return to Ethiopia to rest and prepare for what comes next. While he has no fixed schedule yet, his goal is clear: to keep improving and push his limits even further.
Source: Newstimehub
