Marathon record-breaker Sabastien Sawe received a hero’s welcome in Kenya, where fans packed Nairobi’s airport and the president gifted him cash and a car.
Sawe ran the London Marathon on Sunday, becoming the first athlete to break the two-hour marathon time with a time of 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, breaking one of track and field’s most elusive barriers and breaking the previous world record by more than a minute.
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The 31-year-old arrived home late Wednesday to a national toast and was greeted by jubilant fans and family members.
When the plane carrying Sowe landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, he was greeted with a traditional water cannon salute.
Kenyan President William Ruto welcomed Sawe at state parliament and gave him 8 million Kenyan shillings ($62,064) and a car.
According to Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soy, scenes of chaos and celebration awaited Saweh after he held a brief press conference at the airport.
“People came to congratulate him. They say he is a hero,” Soi reported from the airport, while Saweh’s supporters told Al Jazeera that the long-distance runner had made them proud.
Many fans admit they didn’t know about Sawe until his exploits broke in the news and had only seen snippets of his racing.
“It was very special to see him in person and it was also inspiring for me to know that he is a normal human being like me,” David Gitonga, a Sawe fan, told Al Jazeera.
“If he can accomplish something this great, it means I can do it too.”
Others said they were encouraged to push their limits and “maybe even do better” than what Sawe accomplished.
The runner was met at the airport by his parents and Sports Minister Salim Mvurya, who hailed his achievement as a “victory for Kenya.”
He was decorated with a traditional wreath made of twigs, symbolizing victory.
Traditional dancers then applauded him as he boarded a luxury government vehicle as part of the sports minister’s “heroic welcome”.
Sowe’s parents said they knew from childhood that Sowe was destined for greatness. His mother described how he sprinted while taking a bath.
“He’s going to run too fast. So I said to myself, this kid is going to shine for me one day,” Emily So told The Associated Press.
His father said he was nervous watching Sunday’s marathon because the TV signal wasn’t clear.
“The moment my son came in front, I walked away, but I didn’t see him finish the race. Then I watched the replay. I was so happy, so happy. We were screaming so much that it’s hard to swallow anything now,” said Simeon Kiplagat Sawe.
Sawe said he was proud of his “great accomplishment in life” and planned to “shorten the record even further.”
“Made the impossible possible”
Claudio Bertelli, the coach that Savet joined in 2020, analyzed the race and said Savet was in the lead from start to finish.
“He followed the pacer until 27 kilometers (16.7 miles) and from there he controlled the race and picked up the pace with courage and determination,” said the veteran Italian coach.
“Many people are here. They want to see him, they want to celebrate him,” Soi said among supporters gathered at the airport.
“They say this has had a huge impact, especially on young athletes and young runners who want to be like him.”
President Ruto praised Mr. Sawe at a ceremony commemorating his extraordinary achievements.
“You have not only broken records, you have expanded the horizons of human potential,” he said at a ceremony attended by government and sports officials.
“You have accomplished what many believed was impossible,” the president told Sawe.
“You have made the impossible possible and thereby inspired the nation and the world.”
Mr Sawe presented President Ruto with a pair of signed Adidas Adizero shoes worn during Sunday’s marathon. He also signed a photo of the moment he broke the world record.
The previous world record of 2:00:35 was set by fellow Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum in Chicago in October 2023, but Kiptum died in a car accident in 2024.
Another Kenyan, Eliud Kipchoge, broke the two-hour barrier in 2019 in a specially staged event, but this did not count as an official record.
Sawe made his marathon debut with a victory in Valencia in December 2024 and has won every long-distance race since.
