President William Ruto has awarded marathon record holder Sebastian Sawe KSh 5 million for breaking the record and an additional KSh 3 million for his gold medal following his historic record-breaking performance at the 2026 London Marathon.
Ruto presented the cheques when he hosted marathoner Sebastian Sawe at State House Nairobi on Thursday, celebrating his remarkable achievement after breaking the two-hour mark for the first time in history on Sunday April 26, 2026.
Sawe finished the race in 1:59:30 to officially smash the marathon world record of 2:00:35, held by the late Kelvin Kiptum at the Chicago Marathon in 2023.
“We are here to celebrate a historic achievement of what a human being can achieve. Congratulations to you and your teammates. I am sure they pushed you,” President Ruto said.
“Your return to London and set a new record confirms one enduring truth, you were destined for greatness,” he added.
The President also presented Sebastian Sawe with a customised Kenyan number plate bearing the numbers 1:59:30 in honour of his historic marathon record, and told him to choose a car of his preference.
KSh 5 million awarded to Sawe is a fulfillment of President Ruto’s pledge to reward any athlete who breaks a world record, while an additional KSh 3 million was issued by the Ministry of Sports to any athlete who wins a gold medal.
On his part, Sawe gifted President Ruto with the shoes he wore when he broke the world record.
