Kenyan marathon star Sabastian Sawe has been forced to withdraw from this year’s Berlin Marathon after suffering an injury.
Sawe had been expected to return to Berlin as the reigning champion after making history in April by becoming the first person to run a sub-two-hour marathon in race conditions.
Sawe said he had been hoping to produce another special performance and finish the race at one of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
"I had been looking forward to achieving something special on the streets of Berlin and crossing the finish line at the Brandenburg Gate," he said.
Sawr also revealed that he had hoped to honour the support he has received from the Berlin Marathon organisers by competing in this year’s edition.
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"It was also my wish to give something back to the race and its organisers, who have supported me so much," he added.
This development comes weeks after Sawe's historic sub-two-hour marathon was officially ratified as a world record.
The achievement was ratified alongside eight other world records, including Tigst Assefa's women's marathon record, Mondo Duplantis' pole vault mark and Yan Ziyi's U20 women's javelin record.
Sawe and Assefa produced world-record performances in the men's and women's races while retaining their titles at the TCS London Marathon on April 26, 2026.
Sawe became the first man to break two hours in a record-eligible marathon when he clocked 1:59:30 in London.
His performance lowered the previous men's marathon world record of 2:00:35, set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in Chicago on October 8, 2023, by 65 seconds.
Sawe was involved in a historic battle with Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha and Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo before making his decisive move with one mile remaining.
Sawe pulled away from his rivals to win in 1:59:30, while Kejelcha also broke the two-hour barrier after finishing in 1:59:41.
Kiplimo completed the podium in 2:00:28.
Elsewhere, middle-distance star Faith Kipyegon will miss the remainder of the 2026 season as she continues to recover from a hamstring injury.
In a statement on Wednesday, August 19, Kipyegon said the demands placed on athletes' bodies can sometimes create a fine balance between maintaining fitness and avoiding injury.
"As athletes, we ask a lot from our bodies. There is always a thin line between being fit and the risk of injury.
"Since the end of May, I have been dealing with a hamstring injury and unfortunately it needs a bit longer to recover than I had hoped," she wrote.
Kipyegon said she believes allowing the injury adequate time to heal is the best way to ensure she returns to competition at her highest level.
"I know that taking care of it now is the most important thing I can do to come back at my best. So for now, I will take the time to heal, recover and get stronger," she added.
Kipyegon's agent confirmed that the decision means the three-time Olympic champion will not compete on the track again in 2026.
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