First Man Under Two Hours: Sebastian Sawe Returns Hero to Kenyan Village After London Marathon Record
Sebastian Sawe became the first man to run an official marathon in under two hours, clocking 1h 59m 30s at the London Marathon last Sunday, breaking the world record by 65 seconds. The 31-year-old Kenyan runner returned to his home village in western Kenya on Thursday, receiving a hero's welcome at Eldoret airport where he was embraced by family, locals and officials. President William Ruto, who shares Sawe's Kalenjin ethnic background, presented him with 8m shillings (£46,000) at a presidential residence event. Sawe's victory is being celebrated as a defining moment in human endurance, with the runner dedicating his win to his community.