San Francisco Frontiers - Kenya's Sawe targets Berlin record to salute Kipchoge and Kiptum

Running just his third marathon on Sunday, the 29-year-old pledged to carry the torch passed on from Kipchoge and Kiptum.

Speaking with AFP days out from the race, Sawe cited Kipchoge, one of running's few household names, as a "mentor".

Embodying the spirit of Kiptum, the world record holder who died in a car accident in 2024, is another goal.

"It was so sad, we lost a legend."

"We have nothing to say except we are sorry for him and we will live to remember him."

Kiptum's death left Sawe as the man most likely to put pressure on the world record and challenge marathon's holy grail: the two-hour mark.

"Everything is possible with time," Sawe said.

"Kipchoge says: 'no man is limited', so one day, someone will break it."

- 'Berlin the fastest' -

With 24C (75F) forecast Sunday in Berlin and with fewer turns, Berlin is the flattest of the majors, creating fair conditions for a world record tilt.

Eight of the last nine men's marathon world records have been set in the German capital.

The only exception is the current world mark of 2:00:35, set by the late Kiptum in Chicago in 2023.

The temptation of a shot at history was enough for Sawe to skip the world athletics championships in Tokyo.

"Berlin is the fastest course and it's possible to run fast here," Sawe said, having won the city's half-marathon in 2023.

Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie, a four-time winner in Berlin, told Germany's RTL network on Friday the event was the "perfect place" to beat the two-hour mark, while backing the "young and talented" Sawe.

"If the weather is good, there could be a surprise."

Sawe's path to marathon running was unorthodox. An 800 and 1,500-metre runner, an accident at the 2022 Seville half-marathon revealed his potential.

Brought in as a pacer, Sawe found himself alone after seven kilometres and went on to win, setting a new course record despite having never raced longer than 5000 metres.

On his marathon debut in Valencia in 2024, he won in a time of 2:02:05 -- the fifth fastest in history.

After winning again in London in April, Kipchoge's 2022 course record of 2:01:09, is in sight.

- 'A big win' -

Sawe's early inspiration also came from closer to home. His uncle Abraham Chepkirwok still holds the national 800-metre record.

"He inspired me and up to now I think (I run) because of him," Sawe said.

He cites his grandmother Esther, nicknamed Koko, who raised him and passed away in 2022 as he ran in Seville, as his major role model.

"She was close to me and we talked a lot. Because of her, I got so far.

"I remember her a lot."

Speaking at a pre-race press conference on Friday, Sawe said: "I am capable of a big win in marathons -- and on Sunday."

But Sawe's ambitions go beyond medals and records. He wants to improve the reputation of Kenya's athletics program, which has been weighed down by a slew of doping cases.

In July, female marathon world record holder Ruth Chepng'etich became the latest Kenyan athlete to be suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for doping.

In the lead-up to Sunday's race, Sawe has undergone an extensive additional testing program overseen by the AIU.

In addition to the mandatory protocols, Sawe will have completed an additional 25 tests prior to Sunday's race, an average of one every three days.

"In my country, we have a lot of doping cases. Due to a lot of doubt, my team came up with this (plan).

"It was to give that awareness that I am running clean."

Sawe said he hopes the program helps to "bring back our good name. To show that despite having had a lot of cases, not all (our) athletes run dirty."

M.Powell--SFF