Sabastian Sawe has taken a unique step to stay clear of any doping accusations in his career.
Sebastian Sawe made history by becoming the first person ever to run a marathon in under two hours during a real race. The 29-year-old Kenyan long-distance runner surprised everyone at the London Marathon when he finished in 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds—more than a minute faster than the official world record.
Sebastian’s journey has been impressive. In 2022, he was hired just to set the pace at the Seville half marathon, but instead, he ended up winning with a time of 59 minutes and two seconds. Since then, he’s kept improving, winning all four big marathons he has entered—and he’s made sure to prove he competes clean.
Last year, Sebastian and his team asked the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), the group in charge of anti-doping, to test him as much as possible before the Berlin Marathon. The AIU tested him 25 times in the two months before the race, and he passed every single test. He then went on to win the race with a time of 2:02:16.
Adidas helped cover the cost of these tests by contributing $50,000 and plans to keep supporting them. According to Lets Run, one drug test can cost over $2,000 depending on how thorough it is.
Brett Clothier, head of the AIU, hopes other runners will follow Sebastian’s example. He said marathon runners are already among the most tested athletes in the world. Kenya, where Sebastian is from, has one of the strongest anti-doping programs anywhere. Still, Clothier says the sport wants to do even more if possible.
It’s exciting that this special testing program was started by Sebastian himself, with help from his team and sponsor. Clothier hopes this encourages more investment in anti-doping so fans can trust the results of big races.
Kenya currently has over 140 athletes suspended by the AIU for doping, but Sebastian is doing his best to show he is a natural athlete. Winners of elite races in the Men, Women, and Wheelchair categories usually get a base prize of about $55,000 (£40,000). They can earn even more by running fast times.
For example, breaking a world record earns a $125,000 (£92,000) bonus, and breaking the London course record adds another $25,000 (£18,500). Sebastian’s amazing performances have definitely earned him a place in the spotlight!