The shoes worn by Sebastian Sawe when he broke the marathon record by running under two hours were gifted to Kenyan President William Samoel Ruto, who in return rewarded him with a brand-new car and KSh 8 million (about Rwf 90.5 million).
The long-distance runner recently competed in the London Marathon, where he won the race for the second consecutive time and made history by becoming the first athlete to complete a marathon in under two hours.
Sawe completed the 42-kilometer race in 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds, becoming the first person in athletics history to achieve the feat.
The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 shoes he wore during the race were presented to President Ruto as a gift, in appreciation of the support he received from Kenya in reaching the historic milestone.
President Ruto rewarded him with a brand-new car bearing the numbers of his record time (01 59 30), along with KSh 8 million. Of that amount, KSh 5 million came from the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, while the remaining KSh 3 million was provided by the Kenyan government.
President Ruto praised Sebastian, saying he had become an inspiration to young people.
He said, “You did not just break a record, you demonstrated human potential. You achieved what many believed was impossible. You turned the impossible into possible, and in doing so, became a role model for the youth of Kenya and the world.”
The record broken by the 31-year-old Sebastian previously belonged to fellow Kenyan athlete Kelvin Kiptum, who had completed the marathon in 2 hours and 35 seconds. Kiptum died in a car accident in 2024.
President Ruto also gifted Sawe with a brand new car bearing the numbers of his record time (01 59 30)
