Sabastian Sawe rocketed to the top of the AbbottWMM leaderboard with an astonishing win at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
The Kenyan sensation, in only his third 26.2-mile appearance, missed his own personal best by 11 seconds, clocking 2:02:16 to seal his second win in this year’s series.
Sawe was on sub-two-hour pace in the first 10 kilometers behind his T formation pace-making group, registering 28:26 at that marker, and clocked 60:16 at the halfway mark to stay in contention for a tilt at Kiptum’s 2:00:35 set in Chicago two years ago.
The 30-year-old was dealing with soaring temperatures in the latter half of the race and began to lose pacemakers rapidly, ending up all alone before the 30km mark.
The heat and the loss of his accomplices in his bid to make history took a heavy toll on Sawe, who was unable to repeat the trick of running a quicker second half that he had pulled off in Valencia last year and in London in April.
Still, the man from Nandi County is now the owner of the fastest time in the world in 2025, and puts himself in pole position for Series XVII of the Abbott World Marathon Majors on a maximum 50 points with two races remaining. His marathon record is just three races old, and he has won all of them.
Japan’s Akira Akasaki claimed a surprise second place in 2:06:15 with Chimdessa Debele third in 2:06:57.
Sawe’s compatriot Rosemary Wanjiru fended off a late charge from Ethiopia’s Dera Dida to earn her first Berlin title in the women's race, adding to her Tokyo victory in 2023.
Wanjiru had a healthy lead heading into the final 10km but by the time she reached the Brandenburg Gate, she could see Dida in her rearview mirror and had to apply the accelerator as she approached the blue-carpeted finish.
The Japan-based athlete fell to the floor after breaking the tape in a time of 2:21:05, underlining the punishing climate the athletes had to deal with in the German capital, with Dida just three seconds behind her.
Wanjiru later posted on Instagram: "A very tough day due to weather but I am so happy to have won."
Azmira Gebru claimed the third spot on the podium with 2:21:29.
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