London Marathon champion Sebastian Sawe has exuded confidence in putting up a valiant display as he chases glory in the Berlin Marathon next month.
The 29-year-old Kenyan headlines a star-studded field and has promised to bring his A-game to one of the sport’s fastest and most iconic courses. "I will certainly try my best to be up to the task and to honour this opportunity given to run this iconic race. See you in Berlin," Sawe shared on his socials.
Sawe’s rise in the marathon ranks has been meteoric. He stunningly announced himself at the 2023 Valencia Marathon, clocking 2:02:05, the second-fastest debut in history after the late Kelvin Kiptum’s 2:01:53 on the same course in 2022.
That time also made Sawe the fifth-fastest man ever over the classic 42km distance. In that race, he led Deresa Geleta of Ethiopia (2:02:38) and compatriot Daniel Mateiko (2:04:24).
His second outing over the full Marathon saw him deliver another masterclass at the 2025 London Marathon. Breaking away from a stacked field at the 30km mark, he surged to a dominant victory in 2:02:27, holding off Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo (2:03:37) and compatriot Alexander Munyao (2:04:20).
Now, all eyes turn to Berlin, a course that has become synonymous with fast times and world records. The course is predominantly flat, with only gradual inclines and declines, minimising energy expenditure on hills. The wide roads allow for efficient pacing and make it easier to overtake other runners.
Some of the notable Marathon records broken in the Berlin course include: Paul Tergat in 2003 (2:04:55), Haile Gebrselassie in 2007 (2:04:26) and 2008 (2:03:59), Patrick Makau in 2011 (2:03:38), Wilson Kiprotich in 2013 (2:03:23) and Dennis Kimetto in 2014 (2:02:57).
In recent years, Eliud Kipchoge set the men's world record in Berlin in 2018 (2:01:39) and 2022 (2:01:09), while Tigist Assefa set the women's world record in 2023 (2:11:53).
While Sawe has downplayed any ambitions of chasing Kiptum’s world record of 2:00:35 from Chicago 2023, his rapid progression suggests a substantial personal best could be on the cards. He highlighted his joy of joining the stellar pack for the Berlin race. "I am thrilled to be included in one of the fastest marathons in the world, the Berlin Marathon," he noted.
Although Sawe will be making his Berlin Marathon debut, he is no stranger to the German capital. In 2023, he stormed to victory at the Berlin Half Marathon in 59:00, leading a Kenyan podium sweep alongside Alex Kibet (59:11) and Bravin Kiprop (59:22).
Before stepping up to the full marathon, Sawe had carved out an illustrious career over the half marathon.
In 2023, he was crowned world champion at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, clocking a course record of 59:10 in the Half Marathon to lead a Kenyan podium sweep. Daniel Ebenyo (59:14) and Samwel Mailu (59:19) placed second and third. His half-marathon pedigree also includes wins in Copenhagen 2024 (58:05), Prague 2024 (58:24) and Bahrain 2022 (58:58).
