Marathon world record shattered by 42 seconds in Tokyo

Ethiopian distance runner Bekele Tadesse has made athletics history by becoming the first person to complete a marathon in under two hours in an officially sanctioned race. His time of 1:58:14 at the Tokyo Marathon obliterated the previous world record by 42 seconds, sending shockwaves through the sport.

Running with metronomic consistency, Tadesse passed through halfway in 59:02 and never wavered, maintaining a pace that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. The 26-year-old collapsed at the finish line before being mobbed by teammates and officials.

A New Era

"I knew I had it at 35 kilometres," Tadesse said through an interpreter. "My body was telling me to slow down but my mind said keep going. This is for Ethiopia, for Africa, for everyone who dreams."