On the streets of London, in front of an estimated 800,000 spectators, the 31-year-old Sawe increased his pace in the second half of the race and shattered the world record. After crossing the finish line, he said he immediately realized he had created a moment to remember.
"Today in London, I made history. For me, I showed that nothing is impossible. This is something that will stay in my mind forever," Sawe stated after the race.
He added that he had the courage to keep pushing even when the pace was extremely fast, and he cited the crowd's support as a crucial part of the record.
His coach, Claudio Berardelli, explained that Sawe had averaged 200 kilometers per week over the past six weeks, with a peak training volume of 241 kilometers. According to him, Sawe arrived in London better prepared than for Berlin in September, when heat and conditions prevented an earlier attempt on the world record.
In his preparation and the race, he was also aided by the new Adidas Pro Evo 3s, which Berardelli says are faster and the first super shoes under 100 grams, as well as Maurten carbohydrate gels, which help athletes in the final stretch. Before the race, Sawe had breakfast of bread and honey.
Berardelli believes that on a faster course, such as Berlin or Chicago, Sawe can go under 1:59. Former world champion and 1,500-meter record holder Steve Cram, commenting for the BBC, compared this result to Sir Roger Bannister's breaking of the four-minute mile barrier.