Within nine months after scaling to marathon, Sabastian Sawe is already fit to dine with the distance running kings.
Picture this. Just on his debut in World Marathon Majors (WMM), Sawe, 29, is already the winner of the series that has seven prestigious races, including the Sydney Marathon.
Sawe became the only other athlete besides Eliud Kipchoge to win the London and Berlin Marathon as a WMM event this year. Kipchoge won both the London and Berlin Marathon in 2015 and 2018.
WMM comprises Tokyo, Boston, London, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago and New York City where athletes compete to accumulate points.
"I hope my performance will inspire more people to join athletics. It’s all about hard work."
Sawe made a stunning marathon debut by winning in Valencia on December 1, last year in the fifth fastest time ever in a marathon of 2:02:27.
Sawe then affirmed Kenya’s dominance in London for the fourth year running, winning in 2:02:27 on April 27 this year. It was the second fastest time in the British capital after the late Kelvin Kiptum’s course record victory of 2:01:25 in 2023.
With the New York Marathon marking the end of the 2025 WMM on November 2, Sawe was crowned the series champion with 50 points to pocket Sh65 million.
“It gives me hope that my marathoning future will be so important to me, and it will be so easy for me,” he said.
On Top 40 Under 40 nomination, Sawe said “It feels good and I hope my performance will inspire more people to join athletics. It’s all about hard work.”
Said his coach, Claudio Baradelli: “Sawe is a natural talent that just needs to be guided in understanding his potential. He has a natural instinct in understanding his body and his limits.”
Baradelli described Sawe as a special talent that has the capacity to remain super humble despite the success.
“ I am looking forward to seeing what he might be capable of in the near future,” said the coach, alluding to Sawe’s potential of breaking the late Kelvin Kiptum’s marathon world record of 2:00:35 set in Chicago in 2023.
–Ayumba Ayodi