Sabastian Sawe has added another milestone to his growing athletics record after being inducted into the Adidas Hall of Fame, months after his historic run at the 2026 London Marathon.
The Kenyan marathoner received the honour alongside Ethiopian distance runner Yomif Kejelcha, with Sawe describing the recognition as an unexpected moment that left him humbled by the achievement.
In a statement issued on Thursday, September 24, Sawe reflected on the honour and the long journey that led to his recognition by the sportswear company.
"I never imagined that at any point in my career or in my life, I would one day be inducted into a Hall of Fame. Today, I feel incredibly humbled and privileged to be celebrated by Adidas in such a unique way," he wrote.
Sawe also highlighted the significance of having Adidas CEO Bjoern Gulden and other members of the company's team present during the occasion.
He said their presence made the recognition even more meaningful as he reflected on his career and achievements.
"To receive this honour in the company of Adidas CEO Bjoern Gulden and many others from the Adidas team makes the moment even more special," he added.
The Kenyan further shared the significance of being inducted alongside Kejelcha, whom he faced in a memorable men's marathon race earlier in the year.
"Being honoured alongside Yomif Kejelcha made the occasion truly memorable. It is a privilege to have my journey, the hard work, the sacrifices and the people who have been part of it recognized in this way," he concluded.
The latest honour follows Sawe's record-setting performance at the TCS London Marathon on April 26, 2026, where he produced one of the biggest moments in marathon history.
Sawe won the men's race in 1:59:30, becoming the first man to break the two-hour barrier in a record-eligible marathon. The performance was later officially ratified as a world record.
His achievement was ratified together with eight other world records, among them Tigst Assefa's women's marathon record, Mondo Duplantis' pole vault mark and Yan Ziyi's U20 women's javelin record.
Sawe and Assefa both retained their London Marathon titles after winning the men's and women's races respectively.
The Kenyan's record also erased the previous men's marathon mark of 2:00:35, which had been set by the late Kelvin Kiptum at the Chicago Marathon on October 8, 2023.
Sawe's historic run came after a tight contest with Kejelcha and Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo.
The trio stayed together for much of the race before Sawe made his move with one mile remaining.
He opened a gap on his rivals and crossed the finish line in 1:59:30. Kejelcha followed in 1:59:41 to also become a sub-two-hour marathoner, while Kiplimo finished third in 2:00:28.