Sabastian Sawe Continues Fine Form as He Sails to Victory at 2025 Berlin Marathon

Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe underlined his status as one of the world’s premier marathoners after powering to victory at the 51st BMW Berlin Marathon on Sunday morning, stopping the clock at 2:02:15.

While he missed out on the world record chase that had sparked anticipation along the streets of Germany’s capital, Sawe still delivered a commanding run in warm conditions, fending off strong competition to secure yet another major win to his fast-growing résumé.

The race began under near-perfect conditions with the men’s field surging through the first kilometre in 2:44 — a pace comfortably inside the two-hour barrier. Sawe, calm and controlled, quickly assumed his position at the front, crossing 5K in 14:09 and 10K in 28:26, a split that drew immediate comparisons to Eliud Kipchoge’s 2023 course record run and Kelvin Kiptum’s world record pace in Chicago.

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At the half marathon, Sawe went through in 60:16, quicker than Kiptum’s split from his 2:00:35 world record run. By 25K, though, the punishing rhythm began to show, and Sawe’s projected finishing time drifted from sub-2:01 to a more measured pace.

By 30K (1:26:06) and 35K (1:40:50), Sawe was still leading, though the course and world record marks were slipping out of reach. Behind him, Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay — runner-up in Valencia 2022 — tried to hold the pace, but Sawe’s strength proved decisive.

Cheered on by packed Berlin crowds, the Kenyan shifted gears over the closing kilometres to ensure there would be no late drama. He crossed the Brandenburg Gate alone, arms aloft, to complete the victory in 2:02:15.

While it was not a personal best — Sawe ran 2:02:05 in Valencia last year — the time was hugely impressive given the rising temperatures in the second half of the race. His consistency, after wins in Valencia (2024) and London (2025), now marks him as the man to beat heading into the Olympic cycle.

For Kenya, the result adds yet another chapter to its rich marathon legacy on the streets of Berlin, the course where records are often rewritten but where champions must still prove their mettle.