Kenyan runner Sebastian Sawe will take part in the BMW Berlin Marathon, scheduled for 27 September 2026, just a few months after breaking the world record at the London Marathon.
The 31-year-old champion has confirmed he will be competing in the German capital, where he will attempt to defend the title he won last year. In 2025, Sawe won the Berlin race in 2 hours 2 minutes 16 seconds, having already impressed in Valencia in 2024 with a time of 2 hours 2 minutes 5 seconds in his very first marathon.
Last month in London, the Kenyan made history by becoming the first athlete to officially break the two-hour barrier in the marathon, with a time of 1 hour 59 minutes 30 seconds.
He thus wiped the previous world record, held by his compatriot Kelvin Kiptum since the 2023
Chicago Marathon, from the record books, improving on that mark by 65 seconds.
His performance also surpasses that achieved by Eliud Kipchoge during his unofficial challenge in 2019, which he completed in 1 hour 59 minutes 41 seconds.
“I am very happy to be returning to the BMW Berlin Marathon to defend my title,” Sebastian Sawe told the organisers.
The athlete said he wanted to “prepare in the best possible way” in order to “run even faster”.
Renowned as one of the fastest tracks in the world, the Berlin Marathon has seen eight men’s world records set between 2003 and 2022.
The official course record is still held by Eliud Kipchoge, thanks to his time of 2 hours 1 minute 9 seconds set in 2022.
Still unbeaten over the marathon distance, Sebastian Sawe is on a run of major successes in Valencia, Berlin and London. At the 2026 London Marathon, Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha finished second in 1 hour 59 minutes 41 seconds, ahead of Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo, who came third in 2 hours 00 minutes 28 seconds.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa also retained her title in London, setting a new women’s world record of 2 hours 15 minutes 41 seconds, according to World Athletics.
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