Kenyan Sabastian Sawe Claims Fifth-Fastest Marathon Time in Debut Victory

Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe secured victory in the Valencia Marathon, marking his debut at the distance with the fifth-fastest marathon time ever recorded. His performance was just 12 seconds slower than the marathon debut of world record holder Kelvin Kiptum, which also took place in Valencia in 2022. The 28-year-old athlete completed the race in two hours, two minutes, and five seconds. This time has only been surpassed by Kelvin Kiptum, Eliud Kipchoge, Kenenisa Bekele, and Sisay Lemma. “I am so excited and happy to win here. It is a great moment for me,” stated Sawe, who previously claimed the half marathon title at the inaugural World Road Running Championships held in Riga last year. In the men’s race, Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta secured second place with a time of 2:02:38, while Kenyan Daniel Mateiko finished third in 2:04:24. The women’s race was won by Ethiopia’s Megertu Alemu, who set a personal best of 2:16:49. Ugandan Stella Chesang came in second with a time of 2:18:26, and Ethiopia’s Tiruye Mesfin took third place in 2:18:35. The event commenced with a moment of silence dedicated to the victims of floods in the Valencia region, which had claimed over 220 lives a month prior. Organizers committed to donating 3 euros (£2.50) for each finisher, and the 35,000 participants were encouraged to contribute to a fund established for flood recovery.