Leaders across the country, among them President William Ruto, Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula and Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, joined in lauding Sebastian Sawe’s performance, which reinforced Kenya’s dominance in global marathon racing.

This comes as Kenya’s athletic fraternity erupted in celebration on Sunday, September 21, 2025, after Sawe clinched a commanding victory at the 51st BMW Berlin Marathon.

President Ruto leads tributes

President Ruto set the tone for the nation’s pride, declaring: “Golden glory from our indomitable Sabastian Sawe! Hongera for conquering the BMW Berlin Marathon; a triumph that not only crowns you with greatness, but also stands as a peerless tribute to our late hero, Kelvin Kiptum. Well in Rosemary Wanjiru for your deserved victory in the women’s race. Congratulations Kenya Pipeline MD Joe Sang, for participating in the competition to raise funds for charity.”

Sawe clocked 2:02:15 under testing 24°C conditions to capture his third marathon title after his 2024 Valencia debut in 2:02:05 and the 2025 London Marathon win in 2:02:27. His triumph paid homage to Kiptum’s 2:00:35 world record while acknowledging Wanjiru’s 2:21:05 women’s victory and Sang’s charitable participation.

Wetang’ula and CS Murkomen

Speaker Wetang’ula amplified the accolades, stating: “Congratulating Sabastian Sawe for conquering the streets of Berlin clocking 2:02:16 marking the ninth fastest time in history. Being the 51st Edition of the Berlin Marathon, Kenya continues to stun at the world stage.” Despite falling short of Kiptum’s record after a 60:16 halfway mark, Sawe’s performance underscored Kenya’s legacy, with the nation securing 30 of 48 Berlin titles since 1977. His time tied the ninth-fastest ever, cementing his status as an emerging icon.

Interior CS Murkomen added: “Double delight for Kenya as Rosemary Wanjiru and Sabastian Sawe win the women’s and men’s races in the Berlin Marathon. Congratulations! That was a great display of determination to triumph despite the hot weather conditions. From Tokyo to Berlin, we have once again stamped our authority as a sporting powerhouse. Big up to you and all the Kenyan athletes out there making our nation proud.”

Rising star

Sawe’s Berlin win followed his London victory over stars like Eliud Kipchoge (2:05:25) and Jacob Kiplimo (2:03:37), extending his undefeated streak that began when he moved from pacemaker to winner at the 2022 Sevilla Half Marathon. With pundits noting his 2:00:31 projection at the halfway mark, Sawe’s future record-breaking potential remains a focal point as leaders unite in praise of his achievement.