Sabastian Sawe withdraws from Berlin marathon injured

Sabastian Sawe will not defend his Berlin marathon title on September 27 after an injury forced him to withdraw. The Kenyan’s absence removes the race’s defending champion and delays his first competitive appearance since his historic performance in London.

Sawe ran 1:59:30 in London in April, becoming the first athlete to complete an official marathon in under two hours and taking the world record. He had planned to return in Berlin, where he won the 2025 edition in 2:02:16 despite hot, humid conditions. He also led alone from the 24th kilometre after losing the support of his pacemaker.

The 31-year-old announced his withdrawal on Thursday and did not disclose the nature of the injury. Berlin’s flat, fast course had offered him another opportunity to pursue a major performance, but that attempt will now wait. His decision is also a setback for organisers and spectators who had expected the record holder to headline the event.

Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha remains one of the athletes linked to the record’s immediate future. He finished 11 seconds behind Sawe in London and later became the second man under two hours. Kejelcha also recently set a world half-marathon record of 56:51 and is scheduled to run the Valencia marathon on December 6.