Kenyan marathon star Sabastian Sawe will not defend his Berlin Marathon title this year after withdrawing from the September 27 race because of an injury.
The 31-year-old world record holder confirmed that he would miss the event but did not reveal the nature of the injury.
Sawe was expected to return to competitive action in Berlin following his remarkable performance at the London Marathon in April. He made history by becoming the first man to complete a record-eligible marathon in under two hours, finishing in 1:59:30.
His absence will be a major blow to the Berlin field. Sawe won last year’s race in 2:02:16 and was widely expected to be among the leading contenders again.
The Kenyan expressed disappointment over his withdrawal while thanking the organisers and fans for their support.
With Sawe out of the picture, the men’s race is now expected to be more competitive, while the women’s event will feature Ethiopian star Tigst Assefa, who recently set a new women’s marathon world record in London.
Sawe’s focus now shifts to recovery as he waits to make his return to competitive racing.#newsafro_
