Sabastian Sawe

Sabastian Kimaru Sawe (born 16 March 1995) is a Kenyan long-distance runner who holds the world record in the marathon. Sawe made his debut at the 2024 Valencia Marathon, winning in 2:02:05. At the 2026 London Marathon, he became the first person to run a sub-two-hour marathon in a record-eligible race, setting a world record of 1:59:30.

Sawe was born in the village of Barsombe in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya (today in Uasin Gishu County) to a father who worked as a maize farmer. He was primarily raised by his grandmother. Sawe grew up in a house "with mud walls and no electricity." He attended St Patrick's High School in Iten. He is married with a son. He was raised as a Catholic and is said to be a faithful believer.

Sawe's uncle Abraham Chepkirwok was the national record holder in Uganda over 800m. Sawe himself initially ran middle-distances, only attempting the 5000 metres for the first time in 2019 under serendipitous circumstances: having arrived late to an athletics meet, it was the only race still available. He won it in 13:56. Through his uncle's contacts, he began training with Abel Mutai, a former peer of Chepkirwok and an assistant coach at the 2Running Club, based in Nandi County and founded by Claudio Berardelli. In March 2020, however, he ruptured a tendon, limiting his racing, and later missed his international debut — pacing teammate Amos Kipruto at the 2020 Valencia Marathon — after failing a COVID-19 test.