The Kenyan long-distance runner was feted by President William Ruto after becoming the first person in the world to finish a marathon in under two hours.
According to a report by Reuters, Sawe arrived in his county to jubilation from leaders and fans. His winning time of 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds at the London Marathon on Sunday shattered one of athletics’ most elusive barriers, improving the previous world record by more than one minute.
The runner’s aircraft was greeted with a traditional water-cannon salute when it landed at Nairobi’s international airport late on Wednesday, the report further added. Ruto later awarded him 8 million Kenyan shillings (equivalent to $62,064).
“You have not only broken a record, you have expanded the horizon of human potential,” Ruto said at a ceremony attended by government and athletics officials. “You have done what many believed could not be done. You have made the impossible possible, and in so doing, you have inspired a nation and the world.”
The previous world record of 2:00:35 was set by fellow Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum in Chicago in October 2023. Kiptum died in a car crash in 2024.
Another Kenyan, Eliud Kipchoge, broke the two-hour barrier in a specially staged event in 2019, but it did not count as an official record.
Sawe made his marathon debut with a victory in Valencia in December 2024 and has won every race over the distance since.
In the same competition, his compatriot and Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha finished in second and third place, both under two hours.
