NAIROBI, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Marathon world record holder Sabastian Sawe of Kenya on Thursday announced that he was forced to withdraw from the upcoming Berlin Marathon due to injury.
In a post on the social media platform Instagram, Sawe said he had been looking forward to "achieving something special on the streets of Berlin and crossing the finish line at the Brandenburg Gate."
"I want to thank my fans and everyone who continues to support me, and I wish all the runners taking part a great race. I hope they can enjoy the moment, trust the work they have done and be proud of what they achieve in Berlin," he added.
The Abbott World Marathon Majors also confirmed Sawe's absence on the Berlin event.
"Sawe was looking to lower the 1:59:30 he ran in London and retain the title he won in Berlin last year," the majors organizers said in a statement.
"Berlin's hopes for a world record now sit with Tigst Assefa, who like Sawe, earmarked the German race for a tilt at a record time," the statement noted.
Scheduled for September 27, the Berlin Marathon is the fifth official race of the 2026 World Marathon Majors calendar. ■
