Growing up in humble circumstances, Sabastian Sawe never had an easy path to the top. His father, Simion, was a maize farmer, and his grandmother raised him. Yet he went on to become a world record-breaker, crossing the finish line with 1:59:30 at the 2026 London Marathon. Now, Sawe was hoping to establish another record at the Berlin Marathon in his first competition after that historic run, but his injury has put him out of the race.

On August 27, Sawe announced on Instagram that he would miss the BMW Berlin Marathon on September 27 because of an injury. The 31-year-old Kenyan shared, “It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that I am forced to withdraw from the BMW Berlin Marathon due to an injury,” Sawe wrote. 

The withdrawal was especially disappointing given Sawe’s return as the reigning champion in Berlin. In the 2025 edition, he won in 2:02:16 despite harsh weather, with temperatures reaching around 25°C. He also ran without a pacemaker to finish his last 17 kilometres. Sawe entered the race with hopes of beating the course record of 2:01:09 set by Eliud Kipchoge but ended up with only a comfortable win.

Berlin was expected to give Sawe another chance to attack the clock. The course is regarded as one of the fastest marathon routes in the world and has produced several world records over the years. 

“I had been looking forward to achieving something special on the streets of Berlin and crossing the finish line at the Brandenburg Gate,” Sawe said. “It was also my wish to give something back to the race and its organisers, who have supported me so much.”

His absence will be felt even more because of what happened the last time he raced. At the 2026 London Marathon on April 26, Sawe produced the biggest performance of his career, clocking 1:59:30 to become the first man to officially break the two-hour barrier in a competitive marathon and set the world record. He lowered Kelvin Kiptum’s previous official mark of 2:00:35 by 65 seconds.

Sawe’s achievement turned him into a national hero in Kenya. After returning to Nairobi, the world-record holder received a huge welcome from fans, while President William Ruto also honoured him following his historic performance. Now, however, the world-record holder’s unexpected withdrawal has left a major opening in the men’s race.

Sawe’s absence is certainly disappointing for fans who were hoping to see him return to action, but it also means the Berlin Marathon title is suddenly much more open, giving several leading contenders a bigger opportunity.

Sawe’s withdrawal opens the door for three Berlin Marathon contenders

Gabriel Geay could be one of the biggest beneficiaries after Sawe’s absence in the Berlin Marathon. The Tanzanian holds his national marathon record at 2:03:00, set when he finished second at the 2022 Valencia Marathon. He also finished runner-up at the 2023 Boston Marathon. With Sawe out, Geay now enters the race as one of the fastest contenders in the field. 

Guye Adola is also a strong competitor. The Ethiopian has already seen what it takes to win the streets of Berlin, as he took second place after Eliud Kipchoge in 2017 and won the title in 2021. He is also tight-lipped this year, having comfortably finished the Rotterdam Marathon last year in 2:03:54.

The change might be beneficial for Milkesa Mengesha as well. The Ethiopian set a new course record in 2:03:17 to win the Berlin Marathon on the fast course. With Sawe now gone, the defending champion is out of the race, and Mengesha could once again be the centre of the men’s race with the Berlin title in his hands.