Sabastian Sawe/ FILE
World marathon record holder Sabastian Sawe will be chasing even faster times on September 27 after confirming his participation in the Berlin marathon.
Sawe etched his name into the record books on April 26 when he became the first man ever to run a marathon in under two hours during a jaw-dropping display at the London Marathon.
Roaring through the streets of London with devastating pace, Sawe clocked a historic 1:59:30 to shatter the barriers of human endurance and redefine what was once considered impossible over the 42km distance.
His mark eclipsed the previous men’s world standard of 2:00:35 set by the late Kelvin Kiptum at the 2023 Chicago marathon.
Behind Sawe in London, Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha stormed to second in 1:59:41, while Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo clocked 2:00:28 to complete a historic podium.
Fresh from that monumental performance, Sawe has now turned his attention to his next major assignment, Berlin, a course synonymous with world records and marathon greatness.
After dipping under the two-hour barrier in London, Sawe has promised fans another thrilling spectacle in September, insisting he will prepare meticulously as he chases another lightning-fast outing.
“Many people may be wondering what my goals are this time round. After coming off my win in London and sub-2 performance, I can only say that, like always, I plan to prepare myself to the best of my ability and to come to Berlin to honor this great event and organization which have invited me, and to run as well and fast as possible.
“Then on the day we will see what will happen,” Sawe told the Berlin Marathon organisers.
Having already conquered the elusive sub-two frontier, athletics enthusiasts wait to see what he can produce on one of the quickest marathon course in the world.
Berlin is widely regarded as the world’s fastest marathon course, having produced 13 official men’s world records over the years.
The German capital’s course is heavily favoured by elite athletes because of its low elevation profile and long sweeping turns, conditions that have helped deliver many of the greatest performances in marathon history.
While London, where Sawe broke the two-hour barrier, is also renowned for fast times, its route features more corners and technical sections compared to Berlin’s smoother rhythm-friendly layout.
Sawe returns to Berlin as the defending champion after producing a commanding masterclass on the streets of the German capital last year.
In that race, the Kenyan ace launched an audacious bid to erase Kiptum’s then-world record, but narrowly fell short despite a ferocious pace throughout the contest.
He nevertheless stormed to victory in 2:02:16, finishing miles clear of Japan’s Akira Akasaki, who clocked 2:06:15, and Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele, who timed 2:06:57.
Sawe has rapidly evolved into one of the most dominant forces over the marathon distance since making his debut in 2024, remaining unbeaten in every 42km race he has contested.
On his maiden outing at the Valencia marathon, he surged to victory in a then world-leading 2:02:05, the then second-fastest marathon debut in history.
Only Kiptum had gone quicker on debut after clocking 2:01:53 on the same course in 2022.
That Valencia masterclass saw Sawe finish comfortably ahead of Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta, who timed 2:02:38, and compatriot Daniel Mateiko, who clocked 2:04:24.
Sawe carried that momentum into the 2025 London marathon, where he once again stamped his authority on the global stage, clinching victory in 2:02:27 ahead of Kiplimo (2:03:37) and Alexander Munyao (2:04:20).
He then capped off a sensational 2025 campaign with his dominant Berlin triumph.
It was that imperious season of marathon excellence that ultimately saw Sawe crowned World Athletics Male Out of Stadium Athlete of the year.
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