Kiptum’s world record is under threat as Sawe races in Berlin
The 29-year-old star is the fastest marathoner this year.
The late Kelvin Kiptum’s 2:00:35 world record set in Chicago almost two years ago could be facing a major threat tomorrow at the 2025 Berlin Marathon.
Sabastian Kimaru Sawe, the fastest marathoner this year, is in Berlin to attempt to rewrite history in the men’s marathon.
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Running in a fast course, Sawe is expected to take to the start line his fine form this season and the fastest time (2:02:27) achieved at the London Marathon in April in his push to set the bar higher.
Sawe’s stunning victory at the 2025 London marathon followed his 2:02:05 marathon debut win in Valencia in December.
His mouthwatering time in Valencia places him in fifth place on the world all-time list. Sawe, a fast-rising marathon ace, is not new to Berlin. He won the 2023 Berlin Half Marathon, the same year he claimed the World Half Marathon title in Riga.
Tomorrow, the Kenyan star faces the defending champion Milkesa Mengesha of Ethiopia and Tanzanian record-holder Gabriel Geay.
Mengesha won in Berlin last year in a personal best time of 2:03:17, while Geay ran his best of 2:03:00 three years ago in Valencia.
Recently, Sawe promised to lead by example in clean running. “My hope is to set an example, encourage others to act, and show that clean performances are possible. Above all, I want people to know that when I compete in Berlin, I am clean, and my results should not be questioned just because I am Kenyan,” he said ahead of tomorrow’s contest.
Former Vienna Marathon champion Samwel Mailu, Doha marathon winner Ezra Tanui and Valencia 42km second runner-up Daniel Mateiko are among Kenyan stars hoping to shine in Berlin.
Tokyo Marathon winner Rosemary Wanjiru is leading the country’s women cast in the chase for honours in Berlin. Wanjiru is returning to Berlin, where she finished second on her marathon debut in 2:18:00 in 2022.
She will be taking on Ethiopia’s Degitu Azimeraw (2:17:58) and Mestawut Fikir (2:18:48) among other stars.
There are seven women long distance runners with personal bests of sub 2:20:00 are in the Berlin Marathon contest.
Six of them have run under 2:19:00, signaling a fierce catfight in the women’s race.
Berlin’s super fast course might well see extraordinary times again despite a relatively warm weather forecast, organisers said on Friday.
Three years ago, Wanjiru faced a strong field in her debut in Berlin, finishing second in 2:18:00.
“If the weather is good and I feel fine in the morning, I intend to run a very fast time,“ Wanjiru, 30, said during the elite athletes’ press conference. With a personal best of 2:16:14, Rosemary Wanjiru is the fastest woman on the Berlin start list.
Today, just hours before the Berlin Marathon race, more than 300 potential athletes are competing in the inaugural Cheptigit -German Cross Country Run.
Schools, both primary and secondary, around Cheptigit in Kaptagat, Uasin Gishu will be fielding 20 cross country runners each for the inaugural competition.
The competition will take place hours ahead of the 2025 Berlin marathon watch party sponsored by the German Embassy.