The two-hour marathon is done – but other records remain to be broken

World-firsts still up for grabs include swimming the Pacific, leaping 9 metres and holding your breath for 30 minutes

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ad news for anyone who secretly fancies themselves every time they lace up their trainers: the two-hour marathon record has gone. Sabastian Sawe’s astonishing effort at the London marathon on Sunday – cruising across the finish line on the Mall in 1hr 59m 30s like a man who has just jogged a parkrun – shattered a record long seen as beyond human capability.

“They said it couldn’t be done!” roared BBC commentator Steve Cram. And then, 11 seconds later, Yomif Kejelcha did it too – and he’d never even run a marathon before.

Even Jacob Kiplimo in third came close to breaking one of the most talismanic athletic barriers in history, beating the previous world record but missing the “sub two” by 28 seconds. The men’s two-hour marathon in race conditions has been comprehensively done. Find yourself a new challenge.