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Marathon world record-holder Sabastian Sawe gets hero welcome in Kenya, praised by President William Ruto after historic sub two hour London marathon and extra drug tests
Sabastian Sawe (Credit: AP)
Marathon world record-holder Sabastian Sawe received a hero’s welcome on his return to Kenya and was praised by President William Ruto on Thursday.
Sawe made history in London on Sunday by becoming the first athlete to run a sub-two-hour marathon in race conditions.
Welcoming Sawe at State House in Nairobi, Ruto described the achievement as “a defining moment in the story of human endurance”.
He compared it to landmark feats in human history, including Roger Bannister’s first four-minute mile in 1954 and the moon landing.
“Future generations will look back on 26 April, 2026, as the day a man broke through a physical and psychological barrier long thought insurmountable; and the name forever attached to that moment will be Sabastian Sawe,” Ruto said in his speech.
Sawe clocked 1hr 59min 30sec in a tight duel with Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who also finished in under two hours.
Mobbed On Arrival
On his arrival late Wednesday at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Sawe was mobbed by jubilant fans.
“It is such a beautiful day. I’m glad you have joined me in celebrating, and that you have shown a spirit I never expected could be like this. I’m very grateful,” he told the crowd.
“I didn’t do it just for myself, I did it for all of us. And I would like us all to enjoy it and for it to stand as a record for all of us,” he added.
Kenya has long dominated long-distance running, and its athletes are national superstars.
However, the intense pressure to reach the elite level has contributed to doping being a major problem in the country.
Two former Kenyan winners of the men’s London Marathon — Wilson Kipsang, the champion in 2012 and 2014, and 2017 winner Daniel Wanjiru — are among those who have since been banned.
To counter any suspicions about his own performances, Sawe has voluntarily undergone additional drug testing, even paying $50,000 to be tested 25 times in a year by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) before last year’s Berlin race.
(With inputs from Agencies)
April 30, 2026, 14:08 IST
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