NAIROBI, Kenya — President William Ruto on Thursday, April 30, hosted long-distance runner Sabastian Kimaru Sawe at State House to honour his landmark achievement at the 2026 London Marathon.
During the reception, the President awarded Sawe a total of Sh8 million in recognition of his role in reinforcing Kenya’s dominance on the global athletics stage.
The award reflects the government’s policy of offering tangible incentives to athletes who achieve elite international milestones.
Under this framework, Sabastian Sawe received Sh5 million for breaking the men’s marathon world record and an additional Sh3 million for winning gold at a major global competition.
Sawe’s performance in London was historic, as he became the first athlete to officially break the two-hour barrier in a sanctioned marathon, clocking 1:59:30.
He broke the previous world record of 2:00:35 set by Kelvin Kiptum at the 2023 Chicago Marathon.
At the same time, Head of State also had a personal gesture for Sawe, surprising the marathoner with customised number plates reading “01 59 30” in reference to his record-breaking time in London.
He also pledged to gift him a new car.
“Because Sabastian did something so special, I have given him this number plate to put on a car. But he has said his car already has a number plate. So, Sabastian, I will get you a new car,” Ruto promised.
Meanwhile, Sawe gifted Ruto with his pair of Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 super shoes he wore when he set the historic marathon record on Sunday.
