India, April 27 -- Sebastian Sawe's win at the London marathon - clocking 1:59:30 - shatters not just the two-hour barrier in marathon but a belief that seemed fundamental across the recorded history of the sport: that the two-hour barrier was impossible to breach. Experts reasoned that achieving this would require running 17-second 100-metre sprints for 42 kilometres, demanding an energy-release quantum much higher than what the human body is typically capable of. It also required operating close to the body's aerobic limits - consistently for almost two hours.

Yet, Sawe has achieved the "impossible". As has Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia, who secured second place, finishing with a time of 1:59:41. Given that the marathon is a test of will ...