Sebastian Sawe, the first man to run a marathon under two hours and current world record holder, will not defend his Berlin Marathon title in 2026 because of an injury. Sawe made the announcement on Instagram on August 27, expressing disappointment but did not reveal the injury’s details. "It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that I am forced to withdraw from the Berlin marathon due to injury. I had been looking forward to achieving something special on the streets of Berlin," he said [1, 2, 3].
Sawe set the marathon world record with a time of 1:59:30 at the London Marathon on April 26, 2026, breaking a historic barrier [1, 2, 3]. The Kenyan star also won the 2025 Berlin Marathon in challenging conditions — running 2:02:16 despite heat, humidity, and no pacemaker support after 24 kilometers [2]. Sawe received a hero’s welcome in Kenya after his London victory, earning praise and accolades from the president [2].
The 2026 Berlin Marathon is scheduled for September 27. Despite Sawe’s absence, race organizers remain optimistic about record-breaking performances, especially in the women’s race where Ethiopian Tigst Assefa aims to set a new world record [1, 3].
Looking ahead, Yomif Kejelcha, the second man to run a marathon under two hours and the current half-marathon world record holder, is expected to challenge Sawe’s world record at the Valencia Marathon on December 6, 2026 [2].
