Ruto awards Sabastian Sawe Sh8 million, custom plates and pledges car gift

Sabastian Sawe, Kenya’s newest marathon sensation, was on Thursday celebrated at State House in Nairobi in a ceremony that placed national awards and presidential recognition at the centre of his record-breaking achievement.

President William Ruto led the honours, rewarding Sawe with substantial cash prizes and symbolic gifts after his historic marathon performance that has thrust him into the global athletics spotlight.

First off, the Head of State was invited to sign a photograph capturing Sawe’s historic run, which had already been autographed by the athlete, turning it into a commemorative piece of national sporting history.

Sawe thereafter received two separate cheques, one worth Sh5 million, a pledge reserved for athletes who break a world record, and another Sh3 million awarded to gold medalists.

Combined, the Sh8 million payout highlighted both the value placed on elite performance and the symbolic importance of his feat.

The ceremony also featured a personal exchange of gifts.

Ruto gifted him commemorative number plates engraved with his record time, a symbolic tribute intended to immortalise the performance.

The moment took a lighter turn when the President hinted at an additional reward.

“This young man, Sabastian, because he has done something very important, I have given him number plates. But I think he is wondering what he will do with them. These number plates are meant to be fixed on a car, but he asked me where he would attach them. So Sabastian, I will get you a car.”

The exchange drew laughter in the room, blending humour with formal recognition of sporting excellence.

Sawe’s rise has been rapid and emphatic.

He etched his name into athletics history with a stunning 1:59:30 finish, a time that places him among the fastest marathon runners ever and reignites global debate around the long-discussed sub-two-hour barrier in official races.

The performance has since cemented Kenya’s reputation as a powerhouse in long-distance running.