On Sunday, Kenya swept the top step at the Berlin Marathon, as Sabastian Sawe stormed to a commanding men’s victory and Rosemary Wanjiru held off a late charge to win the women’s race.
Sawe in control
Sawe ran alone for much of the second half, clocking 2:02:16 in warm conditions that slowed the field but couldn’t stop him. Through the halfway mark, he was moving at course-record pace, but the rising heat forced him to shift from chasing time to locking down the win. The 30-year-old has now won all three marathons he’s entered—Valencia in his debut, London this past spring and now Berlin. Japan’s Akira Akasaki took second in 2:06:15, with Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele third in 2:06:57.
Men’s top 10
Sebastian Sawe (KEN) 2:02:16Akira Akasaki (JPN) 2:06:15Chimdessa Debele (ETH) 2:06:57Tsegaye Getachew (ETH) 2:07:18Abel Kipchumba (KEN) 2:07:27Kennedy Kimutai (KEN) 2:07:56Amos Kipruto (KEN) 2:08:48Hendrik Pfeiffer (GER) 2:09:14Enock Onchari (KEN) 2:09:35Dominic Kiptarus (KEN) 2:09:42
Wanjiru holds her lead
The women’s race came down to the wire. Rosemary Wanjiru surged clear around 25K, but Ethiopia’s Dera Dida clawed back in the final stretch. Wanjiru made her marathon debut in 2022, also at the Berlin Marathon, where she finished second with a time of 2:18:00, marking the second-fastest women’s marathon debut at the time. On Sunday, the finish line arrived just in time for Wanjiru, who held on to win by three seconds in 2:21:05. Azmera Gebru finished third in 2:21:29.
Women’s top 10
Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN) 2:21:05Dera Dida (ETH) 2:21:08Azmera Gebru (ETH) 2:21:29Fantu Worku (ETH) 2:22:06Helen Bekele Tola (ETH) 2:22:12Fabienne Königstein (GER) 2:22:17Sutume Asefa Kebede (ETH) 2:22:44Domenika Mayer (GER) 2:23:16Viola Kibiwot (KEN) 2:23:40Delvine Meringor (ROU) 2:24:11
For full results of the 2025 Berlin Marathon, head here.
