Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe marked a stunning debut in the marathon by running the fifth-fastest time in history to win the Valencia Marathon. The 28-year-old completed the race in 2:02:05, a time surpassed only by Kelvin Kiptum, Eliud Kipchoge, Kenenisa Bekele, and Sisay Lemma.
“I am so excited and happy to win here. It is a great moment for me,” said Sawe, who previously claimed the half marathon title at the inaugural World Road Running Championships in Riga last year.
Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta took second place with a time of 2:02:38, while Kenyan Daniel Mateiko finished third in 2:04:24.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Megertu Alemu clinched victory with a personal best of 2:16:49. Uganda’s Stella Chesang was second in 2:18:26, and Ethiopia’s Tiruye Mesfin took third in 2:18:35.
The race started with a moment of silence to honor the more than 220 people who lost their lives in recent floods in the Valencia region. Organizers committed to donating 3 euros (£2.50) for every finisher and encouraged the 35,000 participants to contribute to a flood recovery fund.
