NAIROBI, Kenya, December 1 – Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe had a marathon debut to remember when he cruised to victory in Valencia on Sunday morning.
The World Half Marathon champion clocked 2:02:05 — the fifth fastest time in the history of men’s marathon — to cut the tape.
Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta timed 2:02:38 in second as another Kenyan, Daniel Mateiko, came third in 2:04:24.
Sawe was over the moon, considering he was his first baby steps into the 42km.
“I am so excited…I am so happy…to win here today, which was my debut. It is a great moment for me,” he said.
The 28-year-old exhibited tactical nous as far as race strategy is concerned, surging into the lead with a quarter of the 42km to go.
His new burst of energy was too strong for Mateiko who had been in the lead until then and had seemed destined for his first ever marathon win.
The Paris Olympian, however, fizzled out and was soon entangled in a race for second with Geleta – the two changing places quite a few times before the Ethiopian ultimately strengthened his hold for second place.
For Sawe, apart from the win, his time etches his name in history books as the second fastest marathon debutant as far as the Valencia Marathon is concerned.
Another Kenyan, Kelvin Kiptum, clocked 2:01:53, which was the fastest time ever clocked by a marathon debutant in the same race in 2022.
Kiptum later clocked a world record of 2:00:35 at the Chicago Marathon in October 2023.
