Kenya gives hero’s welcome to marathon record-breaker Sabastian Sawe

Marathon record-breaker Sabastian Sawe has received a hero’s welcome home in Kenya, with fans thronging the airport in Nairobi and the country’s president giving him cash and a car. Sawe posted the first-ever sub-two-hour marathon time of 1:59:30 when he won the London Marathon on Sunday, shattering one of athletics’ most elusive barriers and improving on the previous world record by more than one minute. The 31-year-old was the toast of the nation when he arrived home late on Wednesday and was greeted by jubilant fans and family members.

The aircraft carrying Sawe was greeted with a traditional water cannon salute when it landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Kenya’s President William Ruto welcomed Sawe at State House and awarded him eight million Kenyan shillings ($62,064) as well as a car. Chaotic and celebratory scenes awaited Sawe as he gave a short media conference at the airport, according to Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi.

“People have come to celebrate him, they say that he’s a hero,” Soi reported from the airport, where Sawe’s supporters told Al Jazeera the distance runner had made them proud. A water cannon salute for Sebastian Sawe as he lands in Nairobi [Thomas Mukoya/Reuters) Ordinary person, extraordinary feat Many fans admitted that they were unaware of Sawe until his feat made the news, and they watched snippets of his race. “Seeing him in real life was very special, and it was also inspiring for me to know that he’s just an ordinary person like me,” Sawe fan David Gitonga told Al Jazeera.

“If he can achieve such great things, then it means that I also have the potential to do it. ” Others said they were encouraged to push their own limits and “maybe do better” than what Sawe had achieved. He was welcomed at the airport by his parents and Sports Minister, Salim Mvurya, who hailed the runner’s accomplishment as “a win for Kenya.