28/04/2026

SPORTS TUESDAY | APR 28, 2026 28 SABASTIAN SAWE made history yes terday by becoming the first athlete to run a sub-two-hour marathon as Tigst Assefa smashed her own women’s only world record on the streets of London. Kenya’s Sawe came into the race predicting fireworks and delivered in spectacular style, crossing the line in 1hr 59min 30sec in a race for the ages. Astonishingly, the top three men all finished inside the previous men’s world record of 2:00:35 set in Chicago in 2023 by the late Kelvin Kiptum. Defending London Marathon champion Sawe was locked in a tight battle with Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha in

Sawe makes history with first sub-two-hour marathon

had and the discipline you had, so for me I think I have shown them that nothing is impossible. “Everything is possible with a mat ter of time.” Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge ran 1:59:40 in October 2019, becoming the first person in recorded history to com plete a sub-two-hour marathon. But the time was not ratified as a world record because he ran with spe cialised shoes, standard competition rules for pacing and fluids were not followed, and it was not an open event. – AFP American wins LPGA Chevron Championship to capture No. 1 ranking within three feet of the pin. “Obviously having the two back-to-back birdies helped,” she said. “The par-fives are easier for me to play like myself.” A bogey at 17 didn’t even dent her lead as Yin made bogey as well. Both of Korda’s bogeys were three-putts, and she missed a couple of birdie chances as well. “What I kept telling myself was I really want to hoist this trophy because I want to show the kids at home that it’s OK to miss short putts and still win a major championship,” she said. “You’re going to make mistakes, but you have to mentally still be in it 100%.” Yin finished with four birdies in her 3-under 69 and Patty had three birdies and a bogey in her 70 – coming home with 10 straight pars. Korda’s win continued a strong 2026 cam paign that has seen her win the season opening Tournament of Champions and finish second in her three other starts. – AFP

the closing stages but surged clear. Kejelcha, running his first-ever marathon, notched a time of 1:59:41 – the fastest debut ever – with Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo third (2:00:28). A delighted Sawe said he went into the race, run in warm spring weather, believing he could break the two hour mark. “I’ve made history today in London, and for the new generation (it shows) to run a record is possible,” said the 31-year-old, whose winning time was scribbled on his shoe. “It depends on the preparation you

Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe celebrates with his shoe, setting a stunning new world record time of 1:59:30 yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

Korda back on top

Rinku stars as KKR edge Lucknow RINKU SINGH hit an unbeaten 83 and took five catches as Kolkata Knight Riders edged out Lucknow Super Giants in a Super Over in the IPL yesterday. Uncapped Indian left-arm quick Mohsin Khan claimed the tournament’s best bowling figures of the season with 5-23 to restrict three-time champions Kolkata to 155-7 at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium. The total could have been much lower if not for Rinku, who rescued Kolkata from 93-7 with his 51-ball blitz and hit four successive sixes in the final over. Lucknow made a sluggish start in reply and lost JANNIK SINNER continued his quest to become the first man in history to win five Masters 1000 tournaments in a row with a smooth 6-2, 6-3 vic tory over Danish qualifier Elmer Moller at the Madrid Open yesterday. The world No. 1 extended his winning streak to 19 matches, a run that began early March in Indian Wells, and he has also captured 24 con secutive victories at the Masters 1000 level, dating back to the Paris Masters last October. Searching for a maiden title at this level on clay, Sinner advanced to the round of 16 at the Caja Magica with a 77-minute performance against the 169th-ranked Moller. The Italian broke Moller four times and dropped serve just once late in the opening set to book a last-16 meeting with Cameron Norrie. “I tried to stay calm, trying to serve well in the important moments,” Sinner told Tennis TV on court after the win. I think today that was the key. And not a lot of rhythm, so I tried to stay quite compact.” Another Italian enjoyed a successful outing in the form of Lorenzo Musetti, who overcame Dutch 29th seed Tallon Griekspoor 6-4, 7-5. The sixth-seeded Musetti will face Czech 11th seed Jiri Lehecka for a spot in the quarterfinals. In night-session WTA action, world No. 2 and reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina shook off a stubborn Zheng Qinwen, knocking out the Olympic gold medallist 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to reach the round of 16. Earlier in the day, Coco Gauff became the latest victim of the stomach virus that has been sweep ing through the draw in Madrid but the ailing American still found a way to beat Sorana Cirstea 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 and reach the round of 16. Gauff vomited in a bin on the court during her clash with Cirstea, and asked for a medical time out during the latter stages of the match before she completed the win in two hours and 21 min utes. “Yeah, I don’t know, honestly (how I got through that),”said Gauff, who will face Noskova in the last 16. “I was just trying to finish the match and one point turned into another. I think I got what every body else is having here in Madrid, unfortunately. So, I’m just going to try to push through for tomor row.” – AFP Sinner motors on, gasping Gauff throws up SHORTS

N ELLY KORDA rolled to a five-stroke victory in the LPGA Chevron Championship yesterday, capturing her third major title to assure her return to the world No. 1 ranking. The 27-year-old American took a five-shot lead into the final round and carded a 2-under 70 to win the first women’s major of the year with China’s Yin Ruoning and Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit sharing second. Korda completed an impressive wire-to wire victory at Memorial Park in Houston, becoming the third player in the last 50 years to win a major championship after leading by multiple strokes after each round. “Honestly, having that big of a lead, it’s not easy,” Korda said. “It was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve had to do mentally.

“I’m, like, having to play defensive at some point but also not wanting to get too defensive because I want to play my own game. That’s where I struggled this weekend.” Korda, whose 2024 Chevron triumph was her second major after a victory in the 2021 Women’s PGA, had matched the tournament’s 54-hole scoring record with a 16-under total and opened the final round with an up and down birdie at the par-five first. She nabbed another birdie at the par-five third, where her long eagle attempt just missed. Playing partners Patty and Yin tried to keep some pressure on, both posting three birdies on the front nine, but the American was still up by five at the turn. A three-putt bogey at the 12th saw

Korda’s lead cut to four, but she answered with birdies at the 13th and 14th – bombing a drive at 13 and sticking her approach

Nelly Korda takes a selfie with the Dinah Shore Trophy after clinching victory in the 2026 Chevron Championship at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston yesterday. – AFPPIC

only their second win of the season. Fitzpatrick brothers shine in Zurich

Mitchell Marsh for just one. Aiden Markram made 31 and skipper Rishabh Pant added 42, both relatively slowly, before the lower order kept the hosts in the hunt. Lucknow went into the final over needing 17 to win with impact substitute Himmat Singh and Mohammed Shami at the crease. Kartik Tyagi bowled two no-balls before he dismissed Himmat for 19, but Shami hit a six off the final delivery to tie the scores as Lucknow finished on 155-8. Spinner Sunil Narine took two wickets in three balls to cut short Lucknow’s Super Over as they managed just one run. Rinku returned to hit the winning shot for Kolkata. Lucknow sank to the bottom of the table with six defeats in eight outings. Kolkata are eighth after

Championship, the second men’s major of the year. Alex Fitzpatrick, 27, made the winning putt after Matt fired a bunker shot within two feet of the cup as they finished 31-under for the tournament. The duo of Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer and the Norwegian team of Kristoffer Reitan and Kris Ventura shared second place, both teams on 30-under. “I felt like we played great for the first 11 holes,” Matt Fitzpatrick said. “We were really, really, really steady, really solid and didn’t really put a foot wrong. “Just the one hole on 12, you’ve made that, and you quickly are sort of scrambling a little bit. “From then on I felt like I struggled with my game, and I didn’t play well. Alex played fantastic. He really sort of managed to keep us in it.”

BROTHERS Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick surrendered a four-stroke lead but combined to birdie the final hole in a dramatic victory at the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic pairs event yesterday. The English duo posted a 1-under 71 in the final-round alternate shot format in New Orleans, with world No. 3 Matt bagging his second PGA Tour title in as many weeks after winning the RBC Heritage. Alex, a DP World Tour regular, earned PGA Tour playing status through 2028, including an exemption to play in the upcoming PGA