For decades, running a marathon in under two hours was the line nobody could cross in a real race. Sabastian Sawe crossed it in London in April, and that run is now one decision away from being crowned the moment of the athletics year.

World Athletics has named Sawe's 1:59:30 world marathon record among three finalists for its new Moment of the Year award, which will be presented for the first time at the World Athletics Awards in Monaco on November 29.

The three finalists

The shortlist was picked by fans through a vote on the official World Athletics app from 18 proposals announced on October 19. The three that made the cut are:

  • Sabastian Sawe (Kenya): 1:59:30 at the London Marathon, the first time an athlete has broken two hours in an official marathon race
  • Josh Kerr (Great Britain): a mile world record of 3:42.66, also in London, which took down Hicham El Guerrouj's 27-year-old mark
  • Botswana's men's 4x400m relay team: victory on home soil at the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone

A panel of World Athletics experts will now choose the winner from the three.

Why it matters for Kenya

Sawe's run ended one of the sport's longest-running debates. Eliud Kipchoge famously ran under two hours in Vienna in 2019, but that was a specially staged event with rotating pacemakers and was not eligible as a record. Sawe did it in a competitive race, against a full field, and the time stands as the official world record.

The award would add a global stamp to a season in which Kenyan distance runners have again dominated the roads, with Sheila Chepkirui winning the New York City Marathon on Sunday and Philemon Kipchumba breaking the Istanbul Marathon course record.

A big night in Monaco

The Monaco ceremony will also crown the men's and women's World Athletes of the Year, as well as the Rising Star, Coach of the Year and President's Award winners. Kenyan fans will be watching to see whether Sawe's run, which many have called the greatest in marathon history, gets official recognition as the defining image of 2026.

The Eastleigh Voice said the new award was introduced to honour the season's most memorable occasion. For many Kenyans, there is little contest.

Photos: Leonhard Lenz via Wikimedia Commons (CC0), Sabastian Sawe at the 2025 Berlin Marathon. Thumbnail design: HAMASTA MEDIA.