World record holder Sabastian Sawe targeting new time at Berlin Marathon?
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Reading Time: 3min | Wed. 13.05.26. | 21:09
The Berlin Marathon has built a reputation as a record-breaking course because of its flat terrain and smooth layout, with eight consecutive men’s marathon world records having been set there between 2003 and 2022
Kenyan long-distance sensation Sabastian Sawe will return to the Berlin Marathon in September looking to defend his crown and possibly lower his own historic world record.
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Race organisers confirmed on Wednesday that the 31-year-old will headline the 27 September event, months after becoming the first athlete in history to complete a marathon in under two hours.
Sawe stunned the athletics world in April when he clocked 1:59:30 at the London Marathon, breaking the previous world record while running in a newly developed model of super shoes.
The Kenyan now heads to Berlin, a course widely regarded as one of the fastest in the world, with speculation already growing over whether he can push the record even further.
Sawe won last year’s Berlin Marathon in 2:02:16 despite difficult, hot and humid conditions in the German capital.
“I am very happy to return to the Berlin Marathon this year and defend my title,” Sawe said in a statement released by race organisers.
“Many people may be wondering what my goals are this time round. After coming off my win in London and the sub-two performance, I can only say that, like always, I plan to prepare myself to the best of my ability and come to Berlin to honour this great event and organisation that invited me, and to run as well and as fast as possible. Then on the day, we will see what happens.”
Berlin Marathon race director Mark Milde believes Sawe could once again produce something special if conditions favour him on race day.
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Sabastian Sawe back,” Milde said.
“With his impressive development over the past months and his historic world record, he has firmly written his name into the history books of marathon running.If all conditions are right on race day, the weather cooperates, and Sabastian arrives at the start line in top form, then anything is possible.”
The Berlin Marathon has built a reputation as a record-breaking course because of its flat terrain and smooth layout, with eight consecutive men’s marathon world records having been set there between 2003 and 2022.
The current course record belongs to Eliud Kipchoge, who ran 2:01:09 in 2022.
Sawe remains unbeaten in his marathon career since making his debut in Valencia in 2024, where he won in 2:02:0
He followed that with victory in London in 2:02:27, before triumphing in Berlin in 2:02:16 and later defending his London title with the historic 1:59:30 run.
That landmark London race also saw Yomif Kejelcha finish second in 1:59:41, the second-fastest marathon time in history and the fastest marathon debut ever, while Jacob Kiplimo clocked 2:00:28 to finish third, making it the first marathon in history to have three runners go under the previous world record.
In the women’s race, Tigst Assefa successfully defended her title after improving her own women-only world record to 2:15:41.