Sabastian Sawe rules Berlin in 2:02:16 as Hassan Chahdi shines

Sabastian Sawe stands alone

Everyone expected him to deliver, and he did. After winning Valencia in 2024 and then London in 2025, Sabastian Sawe claimed the prestigious Berlin Marathon for his third win in as many marathons. The Kenyan set out at sub-2-hour pace before slowing slightly, but he was hugely impressive and left no room for suspense.

Sheltered in a five-pacer group and moving at a blistering pace (28:26 for 10K, 1:00:16 at the half), Sawe’s tempo raised the possibility of a course record (Eliud Kipchoge, 2:01:09) and even a world record (Kelvin Kiptum, 2:00:35). Smooth and composed, the Kenyan looked comfortable, still on world-record pace. Behind him, Ethiopia’s Mengesha, Milkesa, winner of the 50th edition in 2024, tried to match the pace set by the lead group. It was a huge gamble for a runner whose personal best stood at 2:03:17, and it did not take long to backfire. Mengesha dropped off the pace as early as the 13th kilometer, unable to handle Sawe’s speed. He eventually abandoned.

The question now was how long Sawe could sustain that punishing pace. Unfortunately, the pacers could not support him for long. They were unable to maintain the ultra-fast rhythm required for a world record. After the halfway point in 1:00:16, only two pacers remained in the race. From the 25K mark onward, Sawe was running alone. Managing more than 17 kilometers solo, at that pace and in intense heat, was always going to be a near-impossible task. Unsurprisingly, his world-record hopes gradually faded. Showing signs of fatigue as the kilometers passed, he slowed slightly but found enough to limit the damage. Well clear of his rivals, he crossed the finish line in 2:02:16, just 11 seconds shy of his personal best.

His closest challenger, Japan’s Akira Akasaki (2:06:15), finished four minutes behind him. Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele completed the podium in 2:06:57.

Hassan Chahdi claims an impressive sixth place

Among the French contingent, all eyes were on Hassan Chahdi. The 20th-place finisher at the 2024 Paris Olympics produced the kind of smart, solid performance that has become his trademark. The AL Voiron runner, who spent the summer training in Font-Romeu, managed his effort perfectly. He went through halfway in 28th place (1:03:59), then put together a superb negative split, picking off competitors kilometer by kilometer. The result: sixth place in 2:07:43 and the first European finisher, just 13 seconds off his personal best. It was a benchmark performance that confirms his consistency at the highest level and puts him among the strongest European marathoners in the sport today.

Rosemary Wanjiru wins a nail-biter

The women’s race was every bit as dramatic. Rosemary Wanjiru took the lead early, only for Ethiopia’s Dera Dida to charge back over the final kilometers. After a suffocating finish, the Kenyan held on by just three seconds to win in 2:21:05. Azmera Gebru of Ethiopia completed the podium in 2:21:29, ahead of Kenya’s Viola Cheptoo. It was a hard-fought victory for Wanjiru, who also won in Tokyo in 2023, but she needed medical attention after the finish, exhausted by the scorching heat and that brutal final straight.

Scorching heat takes its toll

Berlin is known for its flat, fast course, but conditions at the 51st edition were unexpectedly tough. Temperatures stood at 21°C at the start and climbed as high as 27°C in the early afternoon, taking a clear toll on the runners. Even Sawe, who was on world-record pace halfway through the race, had to back off in the second half. Several favorites, including defending champion Milkesa Mengesha, abandoned after being unable to maintain their effort in heat that was unusual for Berlin.

With three wins from three starts and three times under 2:03 already to his name, Sabastian Sawe is emerging as the natural heir to the late Kelvin Kiptum and the legendary Eliud Kipchoge. At just 30, he represents a new generation of marathoners capable of threatening the sport’s mythical two-hour barrier. Berlin did not produce a world record this year, but it did confirm one thing: the future of the marathon may well belong to Sabastian Sawe.

✔ Find all the results from the 2025 Berlin Marathon.