Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe Wins Berlin Marathon in Record-Breaking Pace

Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe claimed victory at the 2025 Berlin Marathon on Sunday, clocking 2 hours, 2 minutes, and 16 seconds in only his third marathon appearance.

The win marked his first triumph in the German capital, though he narrowly missed out on a personal best by 11 seconds.

Sawe’s finishing time ranks as the equal ninth fastest marathon in history.

However, it fell short of the late Kelvin Kiptum’s world record of 2:00:35 and Eliud Kipchoge’s Berlin course record of 2:01:09, set in 2022.

Japan’s Akira Akasaki finished second in 2:06:15, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele crossed the line in 2:06:57 to secure third place.

The race began at blistering speed despite warmer-than-usual conditions, with athletes covering the fastest opening kilometre in Berlin Marathon history.

Sawe, alongside last year’s champion Milkesa Mengesha and Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay, kept up the early world-record pace within the first 10 kilometres.

By the 15-kilometre mark, Sawe had broken away from the pack, creating an 11-second lead over Mengesha. Though the 29-year-old initially looked set to challenge Kipchoge’s course record, rising temperatures forced him to slow in the second half of the race.

Despite that, Sawe maintained his composure and surged to the finish line, recording the fastest marathon time of 2025 — 11 seconds quicker than his previous season-best of 2:02:27, set in London in April.

Sawe’s victory further cements Kenya’s dominance in global long-distance running and adds another milestone to the career of the athlete who is widely regarded as one of Eliud Kipchoge’s protégés.