NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan marathon star Sebastian Sawe has been inducted into the Adidas Hall of Fame, adding another major honour to a career highlighted by his historic world-record marathon performance.
Sawe said the recognition came as a surprise and described the induction as one of the most humbling moments of his career.
In a statement on Thursday, September 24, the marathoner reflected on the years of training, competition and sacrifice that had led to the honour.
“I never imagined that at any point in my career or in my life, I would one day be inducted into a Hall of Fame. Today, I feel incredibly humbled and privileged to be celebrated by Adidas in such a unique way,” he wrote.
Sawe Honoured Alongside Kejelcha
Sawe was inducted alongside Ethiopian distance-running star Yomif Kejelcha, who was also part of the historic London Marathon race in which Sawe broke the men’s world record.
Sawe said receiving the honour in the presence of Adidas CEO Bjoern Gulden and members of the company’s team made the occasion even more significant.
“To receive this honour in the company of Adidas CEO Bjoern Gulden and many others from the Adidas team makes the moment even more special,” he added.
The Kenyan said being recognised alongside Kejelcha made the occasion particularly memorable.
“Being honoured alongside Yomif Kejelcha made the occasion truly memorable. It is a privilege to have my journey, the hard work, the sacrifices and the people who have been part of it recognized in this way,” he said.
Sawe’s Historic Two-Hour Barrier Break
The Adidas honour comes months after Sawe made marathon history by becoming the first man to run a record-eligible marathon in under two hours.
His time cut 65 seconds from the previous men’s marathon world record of 2:00:35, set by the late Kenyan marathoner Kelvin Kiptum at the Chicago Marathon on October 8, 2023.
The London race also saw Sawe retain his title in dramatic fashion.
Sawe Wins Dramatic London Marathon Battle
Sawe was involved in a closely fought contest with Kejelcha and Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo before making his decisive move with about one mile remaining.
The Kenyan pulled away from his rivals to cross the finish line in 1:59:30.
Kejelcha also broke the two-hour barrier, finishing second in 1:59:41, while Kiplimo completed the podium in 2:00:28.
The result made London the stage for one of the most significant races in marathon history, with two athletes recording sub-two-hour times in the same record-eligible race.
World Record Ratified
Sawe’s performance was later officially ratified alongside eight other world records.
The list also included Ethiopian marathoner Tigst Assefa’s women’s marathon record, Swedish pole-vaulter Mondo Duplantis’ pole-vault mark and China’s Yan Ziyi’s U20 women’s javelin record.
Sawe and Assefa both produced world-record performances while successfully defending their respective London Marathon titles on April 26.
