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Sabastian Sawe has consistently defied expectations throughout his running career. His breakthrough moment came at the 2022 Seville half marathon when, despite starting as a pacemaker without prior road race experience, he surged ahead within the first 10 kilometers and went on to win in a record-breaking time. Further signaling his exceptional talent, Sawe recorded the second-fastest marathon debut ever in Valencia in 2024, finishing in two hours, two minutes, and five seconds—just 12 seconds shy of the late Kelvin Kiptum’s debut marathon time before Kiptum shattered the world record in 2023.
Nevertheless, these achievements hardly foreshadowed what transpired on an idyllic April morning at the London Marathon, where Sawe entered the history books by becoming the first athlete to complete a competitive marathon in under two hours, clocking an astonishing 1:59:30. Speaking to BBC Sport a day after his historic run, the 31-year-old Kenyan admitted that breaking the two-hour mark had not been his primary focus. “It was not in my mind. I was well prepared for this year’s London Marathon, but what comes surprised me because I was not thinking to run a world record,” he said. Confident in his ability to improve, Sawe stated, “It was possible to run faster yesterday. Even 1:58 is possible.”
Sawe’s rise was far from straightforward. Born in Kenya’s Rift Valley to a maize farmer, he faced a challenging journey, including being raised primarily by his grandmother. In 2017, Sawe relocated to Iten, a renowned training hub, but struggled to make progress before meeting Italian coach Claudio Berardelli. Introduced by Sawe’s uncle, Abraham Chepkirwok—Uganda’s 800m record holder—the partnership marked a turning point. Berardelli recognized Sawe’s unique physiological gifts and shifted his focus from track to marathon running. The results came quickly: a notable debut marathon in 2024 followed by victories in London and Berlin in 2025, narrowly missing the world record in the latter due to a hot 25°C race day.
Despite setbacks, including a stress fracture sustained after Berlin and a debilitating back issue early in 2026, Sawe executed his world record run on the London course, traditionally considered slower than Berlin or Chicago and not having witnessed a men’s world record since 2002. This feat was further highlighted by fellow runners Yomif Kejelcha and Jacob Kiplimo also surpassing previous marathon records during the same race. Eliud Kipchoge praised the achievement on Instagram, describing it as “a historical day for marathon running,” and remarked on the blend of talent, advancement, and belief that made this breakthrough possible.
At the race’s conclusion, Sawe drew attention to the role of technology by holding up Adidas’ latest ‘supershoe’—the Adios Pro 3—which weighs just 99 grams and is claimed to improve running economy by 1.6% compared to its predecessor. While equipment provided an edge, Sawe emphasized the importance of his intense training regime, running approximately 200 kilometers per week at altitude. He also followed a high-carbohydrate fueling strategy during the marathon, consuming around 115 grams of carbohydrates per hour. His average pace was 2:50 minutes per kilometer (4:33 minutes per mile), including a particularly swift five-kilometer stretch near the finish.
In light of numerous high-profile doping scandals affecting Kenyan athletes, Sawe has been proactive in demonstrating his commitment to clean competition. Adidas has supported him with $50,000 to fund rigorous drug testing by the Athletics Integrity Unit, which included 25 out-of-competition tests as he prepared for the Berlin and London marathons. Sawe emphasized the importance of this testing, saying, “It shows Sabastian Sawe is clean. It shows running clean is good, and we can run clean and we can run faster.” As he continues to push boundaries with the backing of his coach, the world eagerly awaits the next chapters of Sawe’s extraordinary journey
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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