分类： sports

Thousands of cheering Kenyans have packed the streets of Sawe’s hometown to welcome back the man who made global athletic history: Sebastian Sawe, the first runner ever to complete a full marathon in less than two hours. The groundbreaking achievement, first reported by the BBC, has sent ripples of joy and national pride across the East African nation, long renowned as a breeding ground for world-class long-distance runners.

Local communities held impromptu celebrations, with traditional dancing, flag-waving, and street parties marking the occasion. Government officials have also joined in the tributes, highlighting Sawe’s milestone as a testament to Kenya’s enduring legacy in distance running. For decades, Kenyan athletes have dominated global marathon and long-distance track events, but Sawe’s sub-two-hour finish breaks a barrier that many in the sport once considered biologically impossible for a human runner.

Athletics experts across the globe have already hailed the run as one of the most transformative achievements in modern sports history, opening new conversations about the limits of human endurance. Back on home soil, Sawe has been greeted as a national hero, with young runners lining the routes of his homecoming procession to catch a glimpse of the trailblazer who redefined what the sport believes is possible.

Nairobi, Kenya – April 29, 2026 – The air at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport crackled with national pride and unbridled excitement on Wednesday, as Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe touched down on home soil just days after etching his name into the history books of long-distance running. The 31-year-old now holds the world marathon record, and made history as the first man ever to complete a marathon in under two hours in an official competitive event.

Sawe crossed the finish line at the 2026 London Marathon this past Sunday with an official time of 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, smashing the previous world record set by the late Kenyan great Kelvin Kiptum in 2023 by more than a full minute. Even by halfway through the elite race, Sawe was already on track for a historic finish, clocking 1:00:29 at the midpoint. In a display of extraordinary endurance that stunned running fans around the world, he completed the second half of the 42-kilometer course even faster, finishing the final 21 kilometers in just 59 minutes and 1 second.

Wednesday’s homecoming celebration was a testament to how deeply Sawe’s achievement resonated across his home country. His plane, operated by national carrier Kenya Airways, was greeted with a ceremonial water cannon salute upon taxiing to the gate. Inside the terminal, a throng of journalists, fans, and government officials packed the space, with traditional dancers and musicians performing to welcome the record-holder home. Sawe’s parents traveled six hours from their rural home to be there to greet their son, joining hundreds of cheering supporters. Simeon Sawe, Sebastian’s father, shared ahead of the airport welcome that his son had long held fast to his dream of breaking the world record. “He used to tell me that one day, he was going to break the record. He was so determined and hopeful that he would,” Simeon Sawe said, adding that after the historic race, the family had celebrated so continuously that “my throat still hurts from all the cheering.”

Addressing the gathered crowd at the airport, an emotional Sawe said he had been surprised by the scale of the welcome. “I am happy about this good day, that you came to celebrate with me, I did not expect it,” he told reporters and supporters. Just days after his landmark run, he told the BBC that he already felt ready for what comes next, and remains undefeated in the four marathons he has entered throughout his professional career. When asked about future goals, he said he is already targeting a competition this autumn, and believes he is capable of posting an even faster time in coming months.

The achievement, widely described as the “holy grail” of marathon running, has been a source of national celebration across Kenya. In the coming days, Sawe is scheduled to meet with Kenyan President William Ruto to mark his historic accomplishment.

NAIROBI, Kenya — When the aircraft carrying Sabastian Sawe, the first marathon runner in history to crack the iconic two-hour mark, touched down at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Wednesday, Kenya rolled out a celebratory welcome fit for a national hero, opening with a dramatic water cannon salute to greet the plane carrying its newly-minted sporting legend.

Sawe, who etched his name into the record books at Sunday’s London Marathon with a winning time of 1 hour 59 minutes 30 seconds, was greeted on the tarmac by his proud parents and Kenyan Sports Minister Salim Mvurya. Mvurya lauded the athlete’s unprecedented achievement, framing the historic milestone as a triumph for the entire East African nation long renowned for producing world-class distance runners.

This 30-second break below the once-unthinkable two-hour threshold smashed the previous men’s marathon world record by a staggering 65 seconds, a gap rarely seen in modern elite distance running. Before stepping off the plane, Sawe told the Associated Press he felt immense pride in pulling off what many in the sport had viewed as an impossible feat for generations. Far from resting on his laurels, the 2024 Valencia Marathon champion already has his sights set on more progress: he says he plans to push his limits even further to shave additional time off his own new record.

Following his disembarkation, Sawe was adorned with a traditional handcrafted victory wreath woven from local twigs, a cultural honor marking his historic win. A troupe of traditional Kenyan dancers performed in his honor, singing songs celebrating his breakthrough before he entered a waiting luxury government vehicle for the procession into the city. Mvurya confirmed that the country will continue its celebrations with a formal national honoring event for Sawe on Thursday.

In interviews with the AP, Sawe’s family opened up about seeing his natural running talent from his earliest childhood. His mother Emily Sawe recalled even noticing his unusual speed decades ago, when he would sprint around during childhood bath time. “He would run too fast. So, I would say to myself, this boy will shine for me one day,” she shared.

His father, Simion Kiplagat Sawe, watched the historic London Marathon at his brother’s home, as his own television did not have a clear enough signal to broadcast the race live. He told reporters he was so overcome with emotion when his son pulled into the lead that he stepped outside before the finish line, and only watched the winning moment on a replay after the race. “I was so happy, extremely happy. We screamed so much that now it is hard to swallow anything,” he said.

Sawe’s path to professional running began thanks to his uncle, Abraham Chepkirwok, an elite athlete who represented Uganda in the 800-meter event at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Before making history in London, Sawe already notched a major win at the 2024 Valencia Marathon, where he finished with a time of 2:02:05, and entered Sunday’s London race as the defending champion. His father echoed Sawe’s own drive for continued improvement, noting that the athlete’s disciplined and determined mindset has been key to his success. “Even now, he still says that record was not enough; he wants to lower it further,” his father said.

Reigning men’s 400m world champion Collen Kebinatshipi, the first man from Botswana to claim global gold at the World Athletics Championships, is sounding the alarm over growing talent drain from African athletics, urging continental governing bodies to step up and support homegrown athletes to stop them from seeking citizenship transfers abroad.

The conversation around athlete nationality switches has intensified this month after global governing body World Athletics blocked six African runners from moving their athletic allegiance to Turkey, following reports of what the organization described as “lucrative” unauthorized contract offers. Among the athletes affected are five Kenyan runners, including former women’s marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei, and top Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili. Ofili’s case drew particular public scrutiny after the 23-year-old was incorrectly omitted from the 2024 Paris Olympic 100m entry list due to an administrative mistake by Nigeria’s athletics federation, a misstep that many observers link to the athlete’s subsequent interest in moving abroad.

Kebinatshipi, 22, says he understands why so many African athletes opt to switch nationalities. In an interview with BBC Sport Africa, the champion noted that many elite athletes on the continent face crippling financial and logistical barriers when preparing for major international competitions. “Spending sometimes can be a bit challenging,” he explained. “I think they are doing that because they want to go where they can cut costs and be properly supported.” His solution? Kebinatshipi says African federations must invest in better support structures that match international standards, arguing that consistent, high-quality backing is the most effective way to retain top talent at home.

Unlike some other African nations, Botswana has so far avoided widespread talent outflow, in large part due to a historic run of global success that has built confidence among the country’s next generation of runners. Last year, Kebinatshipi claimed individual 400m gold at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, and alongside star sprinter Letsile Tebogo, Lee Bhekimpilo Eppie and Bayapo Ndori, also won 4x400m relay gold at the same event – making Botswana the first African nation ever to claim that world title. Tebogo followed that achievement with a stunning 200m gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, cementing the country’s status as a new global sprint powerhouse.

This weekend, Botswana will make more history as the first African country ever to host a senior World Athletics track event, the World Relays, on home soil. For Kebinatshipi, Botswana’s rapid ascent in sprinting didn’t happen by accident: he credits much of the sport’s transformation in the country to the legacy of compatriot Isaac Makwala, a decorated Commonwealth and Olympic medallist who has mentored a generation of young Botswana runners. “My role model from a young age has been Isaac,” Kebinatshipi said. “He has also been close to me and guiding me. That’s why I had that motivation and belief that I can also do this and be like him. He has always been assisting me with training, nutrition. I really appreciate the role he played on my career up until now.”

Raised in a small village in southwestern Botswana, Kebinatshipi first discovered his love for running during his school years. After graduating high school, he made the tough decision to pause his academic studies to focus fully on training – a gamble that paid off when he crossed the finish line in 43.53 seconds to claim world gold in Tokyo seven months ago. The historic win earned Botswana a national public holiday declared by President Duma Boko, and turned the young champion into a national icon. “I don’t really like to over-celebrate my achievements,” he said modestly. “My life has changed a lot when it comes to me going shopping. Everyone will come to me taking pictures. For me to get in the shop and spend 10 minutes I have to allow an extra 30 minutes for pictures.”

Kebinatshipi concedes that his world title came earlier than he ever planned: he narrowly missed out on the 400m Olympic final in Paris just months before his Tokyo win, and had originally targeted breaking national records and claiming global gold by the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. “When it comes to the national record and winning gold on global stages, those were chats that were planned for the 2028 Olympics,” he explained. “We knew that it winning in Tokyo was just a bonus and we should go back to the drawing board and work for what we are aiming for, which is the 2028 Olympics.”

He has already made a strong start to the 2026 season, clocking 44.55s in his opening 400m race and turning in an impressive performance over 100m at the Botswana national championships. Right now, all his focus is on delivering a strong result at the World Relays in front of a home crowd. “We want to make our people here proud. We are aiming to deliver our best,” he said. “We can’t get much into aiming for world records or producing fastest times early this season because we have a long season ahead. We want to come and produce, and that’s the only thing that we are aiming for now.”

Beyond Botswana’s success, Kebinatshipi is celebrating a broader shift across African athletics: for decades, the continent has been synonymous with middle and long-distance dominance, but a new wave of sprinters from across the continent is changing global perceptions. Names like Tebogo, South Africa’s Akani Simbine, Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala and Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith are leading the charge, and Kebinatshipi says this evolution is a huge win for African sport. “Africans have been known for long distance events, but now we challenge ourselves in everything,” he said. “That’s why we have a big pool of sprinters in Africa.”