Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe and Roselyn Wanjiru Dominate to Win Berlin Marathon

Kenya stamped its authority on the marathon world once again as Sebastian Sawe and Roselyn Wanjiru delivered emphatic victories at the 51st BMW Berlin Marathon on Sunday morning.

Sawe underlined his growing reputation as one of the finest distance runners of his generation, securing victory in 2:02:16, just outside his personal best of 2:02:05 from Valencia.

Despite warm conditions that slowed the pace in the latter stages, the Kenyan controlled the race from start to finish, brushing aside a stacked field to secure another major title.

The men’s race began at blistering speed, with Sawe setting early splits that rivalled Eliud Kipchoge’s course record pace. By the halfway mark (60:16), he was on track for a possible record, but the rising heat took its toll, forcing a shift to a more conservative rhythm. Still, Sawe had enough to break away in the closing kilometres, crossing the Brandenburg Gate alone to cement his status as the man to beat heading into the Olympic season.

Behind him, Japan’s Akira Akasaki and Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele completed the podium in 2:06:15 and 2:06:57 respectively.

Men’s Elite Results

1. Sebastian Sawe (KEN) — 2:02:16
2. Akira Akasaki (JPN) — 2:06:15
3. Chimdessa Debele (ETH) — 2:06:57
4. Guye Adola (ETH) — 2:07:11
5. Yuhei Urano (JPN) — 2:07:35
6. Hassan Chahdi (FRA) — 2:07:43
7. Shin Kimura (JPN) — 2:08:37
8. Hendrik Pfeiffer (GER) — 2:09:14
9. Joseph Tiophil Panga (TAN) — 2:09:35
10. Ahmed Ouhda (ITA) — 2:10:39

Wanjiru Ends Kenya’s Seven-Year Wait

In the women’s race, Roselyn Wanjiru produced a commanding performance to clinch victory, becoming the first Kenyan woman since Gladys Cherono in 2018 to win Berlin.

Wanjiru, the fastest entrant with a personal best of 2:16:14 from her 2023 Tokyo triumph, ran with poise and authority. The 30-year-old, who trains in Japan, surged clear in the final stages to cap a memorable day for Kenya, securing the coveted Berlin crown three years after making her marathon debut on the same course.

The win further cements her rise from track talent, with 5000m silver at the 2015 African Games and a fourth-place finish at the 2019 World Championships, to one of the most consistent female marathoners on the global stage.

Women’s Elite Results

1. Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN), 2:21:04
2. Dera Dida (ETH), 2:21:08
3. Azmera Gebru (ETH), 2:21:28
4. Viola Cheptoo (KEN), 2:21:39
5. Fantu Worku (ETH), 2:21:57
6. Fabienne Königstein (GER), 2:22:17
7. Degitu Azimeraw (ETH), 2:23:02
8. Domenika Mayer (GER), 2:23:16
9. Honami Maeda (JPN), 2:24:36
10. Mestawut Fikir (ETH), 2:24:52
11. Aleksandra Lisowska (POL), 2:24:59
12. Kidsan Alema (ETH), 2:25:14

Berlin has long been the proving ground for marathon greatness, with Eliud Kipchoge and Kelvin Kiptum rewriting the history books in recent years.

Sebastian Sawe and Roselyn Wanjiru’s have etched their names into the city’s storied marathon tradition, delivering a Kenyan double that reignites hopes of dominance heading into the 2025–2026 road racing season.