‘I didn’t expect it’: Kenyan Sabastian Sawe welcomed home with jubilant celebrations
Barbara Plett Bailiff,Africa CorrespondentAnd
Toby Mann
Kenyan Sabastian Sawe returned home to scenes of joy after becoming the first man to run a marathon in under two hours in competitive racing conditions.
His incredible feat in Sunday’s London Marathon is being celebrated in Kenya, where authorities welcomed him home amid a throng of cameras at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in the capital, Nairobi.
His parents were also there to welcome him, days after the 31-year-old achieved the holy grail of marathon running by breaking the two-hour barrier in a race with an official time of one hour 59 minutes and 30 seconds.
“I’m happy for this good day, that you came to celebrate with me, I didn’t expect it,” Sawe told the crowd.
EPA
Sawe’s parents drove six hours from home to be there with his supporters when he arrived.
His Kenyan Airways plane was hit with a water cannon as it landed, while dancers and musicians performed.
Coming home was a big moment for Sawe and his family, but also for the country.
Speaking from the family home before heading to the airport, Sawe’s father Simeon Sawe said: “He was telling me that one day he was going to break the record. He was so determined and hopeful that he would succeed.
“I’m happy for him and for all of us here. We celebrated so much, my throat still hurts from all the applause,” he added.
Sawe met Kenyan President William Ruto on Thursday morning and received two checks worth 8 million Kenyan shillings ($62,000; £46,000) for breaking the marathon record and securing a gold medal. He also received a vehicle registration plate 01:59:30 – his official record time.
Ruto described Sawe’s victory as an “extremely rare moment” and not just a sporting triumph but “a defining moment in the history of human endurance”.
“Sabastian, you have not only broken a record, you have expanded the horizon of human potential,” the president said.
Getty Images
Sawe presented Ruto with the shoes he wore as he ran the 26.2 miles (42.2 km) on Sunday.
He said his success in London was “on behalf of all and for the nation”.
“We will continue to put in more efforts to keep the nation flying high. Thank you for all your support…we will not disappoint you,” he said.
Sawe’s run was more than a minute faster than the late Kelvin Kiptum’s previous record of 2:00:35, set in 2023.
He was already on pace to break that record by crossing the halfway point in 1:00:29, and managed to run the second half of the race even faster in just 59:01.
“I feel good. I’m so happy. It’s an unforgettable day for me,” he told the BBC after the race.
Sawe, who has won all four marathons he has entered, is already talking about his next competition in the fall, saying he thinks he can run even faster.
