Sabastian Sawe: How Adidas Invested Ksh6.4 Million to Ensure No One Doubted Kenyan’s World Record

Kenyan marathon sensation Sabastian Sawe is basking in the glory of a historic first-ever sub-two-hour marathon at an official race following his heroics in London on Sunday.

In a race where the top three broke the existing world record, Sawe was the leader of the exceptional trio when he clocked an astonishing 1:59:30 at the London Marathon, not just breaking the world record but becoming the first man to ever run an official marathon under two hours.

Sawe shaved one minute and five seconds off the late Kelvin Kiptum’s previous world record of 2:00:35 set in Chicago in 2023 while Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha took second place in 1:59:41, another historic achievement, added to the fact that it was his marathon debut, as Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo clocked 2:00:28, fast enough to break the previous world record.

However, for Sawe, it has been long coming and his sponsors Adidas knew this and started early preparations. In the two months leading up to his victory at last year's Berlin Marathon, Kenyan star Sawe underwent an unprecedented 25 out-of-competition drug tests.

When news broke last July that Ruth Chepngetich, just five months after her record-shattering Chicago Marathon win, had been suspended for testing positive for a banned substance, the running world was left disappointed and frustrated. For fellow Kenyan Sawe, it meant his own journey was about to become much harder.

Sawe was preparing for his own world record attempt at the Berlin Marathon. Despite having no connection to Chepngetich—different coach, agent, and sponsor—he knew their shared nationality would cast a shadow. Kenya currently has over 140 athletes suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for doping, and Sawe understood that another record-breaking performance by a Kenyan would be met with intense skepticism.

This concern was shared by his agent, Eric Lilot, and his coach, Claudio Berardelli. They felt compelled to act.

"We knew that (clean) Kenyan athletes and their performances would be under even more suspicion, and to no fault of their own," Lilot explained to LetsRun.com. "We both felt and agreed that we needed to confront the issue of doping... We not only wanted to fight doping, but just as importantly we wanted to help support the cause for clean athletes."

Their solution was a bold one: they approached the AIU and requested that Sawe be subjected to an extraordinary level of drug testing in the build-up to the Berlin Marathon.

Sawe readily agreed, turning one of the sport's most significant doping scandals into a powerful statement for clean competition. In the two months before the 2025 Berlin Marathon, the AIU tested him 25 times. He passed every single one.

With the tests cleared, the real pressure mounted. Sawe had already established himself as a world-class talent with victories in his first two marathons (2:02:05 in Valencia and 2:02:27 in London). A poor showing in Berlin after such intense scrutiny would invite speculation about why he couldn't replicate his previous form.

Instead, Sawe delivered his best performance yet. He won the race in 2:02:16, finishing nearly four minutes ahead of the competition. It was a dominant display that many believe could have challenged Kelvin Kiptum's world record of 2:00:35 under cooler conditions. The victory was a triumph for Sawe and a resounding win for clean sport.

"I wanted to prove to the world that we Kenyans can achieve amazing results without there always [being] the dark cloud of doping over our heads," Sawe stated to LetsRun.com. "I wanted people to know that whatever happened in the race, I was not to be doubted."

Sawe acknowledged the inconvenience of the frequent testing, which included early morning visits before long runs and even being tested twice in one day. Most tests involved both blood and urine samples, raising initial concerns from his team about the potential impact of frequent blood draws on his performance.

However, after receiving assurances from the AIU and other experts, Sawe reported feeling no adverse effects. For Sawe, the sacrifice was worthwhile. He felt he was championing a cause larger than his own reputation.

The primary obstacle to more comprehensive testing is cost. Road races with World Athletics Label status are required to contribute annually to the AIU, with amounts ranging from $2,000 (Ksh258,300) to $50,000 (Ksh6.4 million). Since 2019, major shoe brands like Nike, Adidas, and Asics have also contributed to the AIU's Road Running Integrity Program, with On joining the effort in 2025.

A single drug test can cost over $2,000 with the AIU spending $4.5 million (Ksh581 million) on testing in 2024 (37% of its budget). Adidas contributed $50,000 (Ksh6.4 million) to cover Sawe's pre-Berlin testing, and the investment did not just pay off then but they are now reaping the maximum rewards as no one is doubting that a human can dip under two hours in an official marathon.