Sabastian Sawe wins Berlin Marathon but his record attempt is foiled by unseasonable heat

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BERLIN (AP) — Sabastian Sawe of Kenya finished far ahead of his rivals to win the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, when unseasonable warmth thwarted his effort to break the course record.

The 29-year-old Sawe finished in a year’s best time of 2 hours, 2 minutes and 16 seconds – four minutes ahead of Japan’s Akira Akasaki and more than 4½ minutes ahead of Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele.

“I did my best,” Sawe said. “I’m so happy.”

Sawe’s compatriot Rosemary Wanjiru won the women’s race in 2:21:05, just ahead of Ethiopia’s Dera Dida.

Sawe looked exhausted as the top three were presented with giant alcohol-free beers during their award ceremony.

He had been targeting Eliud Kipchoge’s course record of 2:01:09 from 2022, a world record at the time. Kelvin Kiptum’s time of 2:00:35 from the 2023 Chicago Marathon is still the world's best. Kiptum was killed in a car crash in February 2024.

On Sunday, temperatures climbed to 24 degrees Celsius (75.2 Fahrenheit) as summer made an unexpected return to the German capital.

“You can’t do anything about the weather. I was ready for everything,” said Sawe, who said he’d be back next year.

It was already 18 degrees Celsius (64.4 Fahrenheit) when Sawe and the other elite runners made a blistering start, completing the first kilometer faster than any of their predecessors in just 2:44.

Sawe quickly dropped his rivals – and some of his pacemakers. Only two remained when he completed the half marathon in 1:00:16. Soon, Sawe was alone but for the crowds cheering him on with no pacemakers for the last 19 kilometers. But his pace dropped as the temperature climbed and it became apparent after 35 kilometers that the world record and course records would survive for another day.

Security was increased for the race with more than 800 police officers working around the course and stewards on bicycles staying close to the leading runners to shield them from any unwanted interruptions.

The Spanish Vuelta cycling race was repeatedly disrupted by protests against an Israeli-backed team from taking part, and the marathon was previously the target for environmental campaigners because of its sponsorship by the automobile manufacturer BMW.

Some 55,000 runners started Sunday’s race.

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