Sabastian Sawe's Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 trainers/ FILEWorld marathon record holder Sabastian Sawe has withdrawn from September's Berlin Marathon due to injury.
The 31-year-old etched his name into athletics history at the London Marathon on April 26, when he produced a staggering 1:59:30 to become the first man ever to complete the classic 42.195km distance in under two hours.
His breathtaking run obliterated the previous world record of 2:00:35, set by his late compatriot Kelvin Kiptum in Chicago in 2023.
Fresh from those London heroics, Sawe had been unveiled as the headline attraction for the Berlin Marathon on September 27, with anticipation mounting over another assault on the sub-two-hour mark.
However, on Thursday morning, the Kenyan revealed that injury has ruled him out of one of the world's fastest marathon courses.
“It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that I am forced to withdraw from the Berlin Marathon due to injury,” Sawe wrote on Instagram.
“I had been looking forward to achieving something special on the streets of Berlin and crossing the finish line at the Brandenburg Gate.
“It was also my wish to give something back to the race and organisers who have supported me so much,” he added.
Last year, Sawe announced himself in emphatic fashion in the German capital, where he stormed to victory on his Berlin debut in 2:02:16.
He was followed home by Japan's Akira Akasaki (2:06:15) and Ethiopia's Chimdessa Debele (2:06:57).
Despite the disappointment, Sawe thanked his supporters and wished this year's Berlin field the very best.
“I want to thank my fans and everyone who continues to support me, and I wish the runners taking part a great race. I hope that they can enjoy the race, trust the work they have done and be proud of what they achieve in Berlin,” he said.
“I look forward to seeing you again at the start line in Berlin.”
Sawe has built a flawless marathon resume since his debut in 2024, maintaining a remarkable 100 per cent win record.
His glittering record includes victory at the 2024 Valencia Marathon (2:02:05), the second-fastest marathon debut in history. He added back-to-back London titles, clocking 2:02:27 in 2025 and the world run earlier this year.
