World-Class Marathon Runner Sabastian Sawe to compete at BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
Sabastian Sawe, who currently is arguably the world's best marathon runner, has made his decision: for what will be only his third marathon start, the 29-year-old Kenyan has decided this fall to take to the streets in the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on September 21.

© SCC EVENTS / Tilo Wiedensohler
A Thrilling Race Guaranteed
Mark Milde, Race Director of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, commented: “We are very pleased that Sabastian Sawe appreciates the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON and its course. He already proved how well he performs on the capital’s asphalt with his impressive victory at the 2023 GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON. One thing is certain: the race will be very exciting!” Sawe ran his personal best of 2:02:05 at his marathon debut in Valencia in 2024 and claimed victory in London in April 2025 with a time of 2:02:27.
Tough Competition Among the Men
Milkesa Mengesha is returning to the race where he celebrated the greatest success of his career so far. The 25-year-old Ethiopian won the 50th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON last year with his still-standing personal best of 2:03:17—improving by more than two minutes. Joining the field is Gabriel Geay, the Tanzanian marathon record holder. The 28-year-old ran 2:03:00 in Valencia three years ago, finishing second. After a less successful 2024, he made a strong comeback with a win in Daegu (South Korea) in February, clocking 2:05:20.
Top Female Runners with Great Potential
The women’s field also features several elite runners. Rosemary Wanjiru returns to the German capital, where her impressive marathon career began in 2022. The Kenyan finished second in Berlin with a time of 2:18:00 on her debut. Six months later, she won the Tokyo Marathon, and in 2024 she was runner-up there with her current personal best of 2:16:14.
Another standout athlete is Degitu Azimeraw, who has already run well under 2:20:00 multiple times. The 24-year-old Ethiopian delivered her best performance to date in London in 2021, surprising with a second-place finish in 2:17:58. Mestawut Fikir, also from Ethiopia, is returning to the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON as well. After winning her marathon debut in Paris last year, the 25-year-old improved her time in Berlin, finishing second in 2:18:48.
Berlin Sets the Benchmark in Running
Berlin has seen a total of 13 marathon world records—more than any other marathon worldwide. Jürgen Lock, CEO of SCC EVENTS, on the future of the event after celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024 in Berlin, the sports capital: “In the coming years, we will continue to focus on the unique conditions and the fast course for the world’s best marathon runners. No other race worldwide has recorded as many world records since 1998 as Berlin. As a co-founder of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, we are setting standards in the world of running.” In addition to the many elite athletes (more announcements to follow in the coming weeks), organizer SCC EVENTS expects over 50,000 runners from all around the world to take part in the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
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1.) Sebastian Sawe at GENERALI BERLINER HALBMARATHON
Photo credit: SCC EVENTS_Tilo Wiedensohler
2.) Rosemary Wanjiru at BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
Photo credit: SCC EVENTS_Tilo Wiedensohler
3. ) Milkesa Mengesha at BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
Photo credit: SCC EVENTS_Jean Marc Wiesner
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GENERALI
In recent years, Generali Deutschland has become one of the leading supporters of running in Germany. This commitment is part of Generali Deutschland’s comprehensive “Sports Ecosystem.” Through this holistic initiative, the company brings together sports, health, prevention, and social responsibility. The goal is to motivate people to adopt an active and health-conscious lifestyle, foster a sense of community, and create positive prospects for the future. In doing so, Generali is equally committed to both recreational and elite sports.
Generali in Germany is one of the leading primary insurance groups in the German market, with premium income of approximately €15.5 billion and more than 9 million customers. As part of the international Generali Group, Generali in Germany operates in the life, health, and property and casualty segments under the Generali, CosmosDirekt, and Dialog brands. Generali’s goal is to be a lifelong partner for its customers, offering innovative, customized solutions and services through an outstanding distribution network in exclusive and direct sales as well as through the broker channel.
adidas
Everything at adidas reflects the spirit of our founder, Adi Dassler. Improving the athlete’s performance was his goal; today, his legacy continues with the consumer at the heart of everything the adidas brand does.
The number of runners in Germany is constantly increasing. No matter where they come from, they all have the same goal: Improve. Better runners, better athletes and in the end a better version of themselves.
adidas Running has something for everyone – we want help each person achieve their individual goals. What counts is personal development, which goes far beyond the personal best.
Zalando
Are you ready to take your running to the next level? As the official sponsor of the GENERALI BERLIN-MARATHON, Zalando is here to help you reach your goals. Running a marathon is challenging enough - you need the right equipment to feel completely comfortable. Our functional sportswear can do much more than just look good: From marathon training to relaxed runs - find your perfect outfit at Zalando and run with us!
Abbott
At Abbott, our 114,000 employees in more than 160 countries are devoted to advancing life-changing technologies that help people achieve their full potential. Our medical devices, diagnostic tools and nutrition products are designed to enable individuals to reach their personal best, however they define it. By sponsoring the Abbott World Marathon Majors, a series of the six largest and most renowned marathons in the world, including the GENERALI BERLIN-MARATHON, we are not just celebrating the pinnacle of physical endurance and determination – we are reinforcing our commitment to improving lives. The Abbott World Marathon Majors are a testament to health and the human spirit at their finest, showcasing that with the right support and determination, every finish line is within reach.
More on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews and @AbbottGlobal.
BRITA
As Hydration Partner of the GENERALI BERLIN-MARATHON, BRITA helps make your race experience more sustainable. At the hydration points, you’ll find BRITA refill stations to top up your flask, running belt or hydration pack. You can also enjoy freshly filtered water for free at the MARATHON EXPO. Together with SCC, we track the volume of water dispensed to transparently measure the reduction of single-use plastic. In 2025, BRITA products helped save more than six billion single-use bottles worldwide because people chose BRITA filtered water instead of bottles – and we aim to increase that impact even further.
At the BRITA Cheering Zone we’ll be there to cheer you on, keeping you clear-headed, focused and well-hydrated all the way to the finish line.
Clif
Empowering athletes for over 30 years, CLIF Energy Bars are a delicious blend of whole oats and plant-based protein crafted to support you to thrive through every mile. Providing crucial energy for working muscles during endurance activities, our soft-baked oat bars provide the ideal pre-nutrition fuel to power you during training and on race day.
ERDINGER Alkoholfrei
ERDINGER Alkoholfrei refreshes all finishers behind the finish line. ERDINGER Alkoholfrei is the ideal beverage after sports: isotonic, rich in vitamins, and low in calories. And ERDINGER Alkoholfrei has only 125 kcl per 0.5-liter bottle! Because a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important!
Revolut
Revolut is a digital bank with the mission to radically simplify finances for individuals and businesses. Founded in 2015 in the UK with the goal of making international money transfers faster and cheaper than traditional banks, Revolut today covers all key areas of finance—from everyday banking and saving to investing and international payments. Over 60 million people worldwide, including more than 2 million in Germany, trust Revolut.
Shokz
Shokz is the world’s leading consumer electronics brand focused on acoustic innovation and renowned for its groundbreaking developments in wireless open-ear headphones.
Shokz is committed to exploring new possibilities for the open-ear listening experience, embracing the principle of staying connected to your surroundings and nature, and empowering you to enjoy your music while remaining open to the world.
Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is a global energy technology leader, driving efficiency and sustainability by electrifying, automating, and digitalizing industries, businesses, and homes. Its technologies enable buildings, data centers, factories, infrastructure, and grids to operate as open, interconnected ecosystems, enhancing performance, resilience, and sustainability. The portfolio includes intelligent devices, software-defined architectures, AI-powered systems, digital services, and expert advisory.
With 160,000 employees and 1 million partners in over 100 countries, Schneider Electric is consistently ranked among the world’s most sustainable companies.
HubSpot
HubSpot is the agentic customer platform that helps businesses connect and grow better. HubSpot delivers seamless connection for customer-facing teams with a unified platform that includes AI-powered engagement hubs, a Smart CRM, and a connected ecosystem with over 2,000 App Marketplace integrations, a community network, and educational content.
Garmin
Garmin is a leading active tech company. The company develops innovative products for people who lead active lifestyles – ranging from smartwatches and dive and cycling computers to cockpits for private aircraft and radar systems for yachts. Founded in 1989 in Olathe, Kansas, by friends and engineers Gary Burrell and Dr. Min Kao, Garmin today stands for a broad and highly differentiated product portfolio across the Outdoor, Fitness, Aviation, Automotive OEM and Marine segments.
YoPRO
YoPRO is Danone’s high‑protein brand that supports consumers in achieving their individual fitness and exercise goals. With a diverse range of protein-rich dairy products free from added sugar, containing little to no fat, and offering 15 to 23 grams of protein per serving, YoPRO provides the ideal solution for an active and healthy lifestyle. Enriched with magnesium and vitamin B9, YoPRO helps support the body in building muscle and reducing fatigue.*
* Proteins contribute to the maintenance and growth of muscle mass. Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function. Vitamin B9 (folate) helps reduce tiredness and fatigue.
Blackroll
"BLACKROLL® is dedicated to helping people of all ages, sports levels and lifestyles take their health, well-being and performance into their own hands every day. For an optimal balance between tension & relaxation and a pain-free life full of energy, mobility and sustainable performance.
It all started in 2007 with the first fascia roller. Today, the Healthstyle Company offers a whole range of innovative products and solutions that convince experts in sports and health."
Maurten
You probably know that you burn carbohydrates when you run – both in training and during the race. And how hard it can be getting the fueling right, without GI-distress.
Our Hydrogel Technology makes sure you get enough carbohydrates without risking the session or race. But there are no shortcuts – science has shown that training your guts makes a huge difference.









