Athletics

Marathon sensation Sabastian Sawe has been recognised with a prestigious award following his record-breaking performance at the 2026 London Marathon after being voted as the April World Athletics athlete of the month.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsHe earned the accolade after becoming the first athlete in history to run a sub-two-hour marathon in a record-eligible competitive race, clocking a jaw-dropping 1:59:30 to successfully defend his London title.The Kenyan averaged an astonishing pace of 2:49.9 per kilometre in what is already being hailed as one of the greatest marathon performances ever witnessed.Omanyala explains advantage of Africa hosting more World Athletics-sanctioned competitionsThe award placed Sawe among some of the biggest stars in global athletics who were also shortlisted following remarkable starts to their 2026 campaigns.Among them was Ethiopian star Tigst Assefa, who produced another historic run at the London Marathon. Assefa shattered her own women..

Double Olympic and World champion Beatrice Chebet has shared a joyful glimpse into her personal life after unveiling photos from a surprise baby shower held over the weekend.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsThe celebration, attended by close friends, family, and prominent figures in athletics and media, marked a special milestone for the decorated distance runner as she prepares to embrace motherhood. Among those present was her close friend and rival, triple Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon, alongside sports journalists Michelle Katami and Lynne Wachira.How much Team Kenya 4x400m quartet will pocket from World RelaysTaking to Instagram, Chebet expressed her gratitude and happiness, revealing that the event caught her completely off guard.“I am incredibly blessed to experience my journey to motherhood surrounded by so much love. Last weekend was unforgettable. It reminded me just how deeply loved I am when my lovely family and friends, all my sisters, caught me off guard with..

Kenyan middle-distance runner Rosemary Longisa continues to rewrite history books in the United States of America.On Friday, 1 May, the sophomore surged into the program’s history after clocking 2:00.27 to win the women’s 800m, setting a new outdoor school record. Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsIn doing so, she eclipsed a long-standing mark that had stood for over 35 years, previously held by Celestine N’Drin. Her time now ranks fifth nationally.##NAJAVA_MECA_9728231##Longisa’s latest feat adds to an already remarkable résumé. She now holds four school records at Washington State: indoor 800m, outdoor 800m, indoor mile, and outdoor 1500m, firmly establishing herself as one of the most versatile middle-distance athletes in NCAA competition.Her rise has been nothing short of meteoric. On April 19, Longisa produced a jaw-dropping performance in the 1500m, clocking 4:02.55, the fastest outdoor time recorded in the NCAA since 2009. The mark places her second on the all-time col..

Kenya’s mixed 4x400m relay squad narrowly missed out on a second successive global championship medal after being pipped for fourth in a final race at the 2026 World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, Botswana on Sunday, 3 May.Download our MozzartSport App For More NewsThe team, which won a historic bronze medal at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China last year, could not repeat those heroics, as the quartet of: George Mutinda, Mercy Chebet, Kelvin Kiprotich Tonui and Mercy Adongo Oketch missed the podium by only nine hundredth of a second.This came after Oketch, running in the anchor leg, was passed by Great Britain’s Yemi Mary John just near the finish line, to settle for fourth in a time of 3:09.93.USA is the world champion in mixed 4by400m relay. The Jamaican last leg tried it. pic.twitter.com/GwNLjhFrjI— afriican requiem (@tonyfcarter) May 3, 2026 Coming in off an African Record (AR) time of 3:09.87 on Saturday, 2 May, there was huge expectation of the Kenyan squad in the fin..

Team Kenya’s mixed 4x400m relay squad booked their place at the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China, after a thrilling and record-breaking performance at the 2026 Gaborone World Athletics Relays on Saturday, 2 May.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsCompeting on African soil for the first time in the event’s history, the Kenyan quartet delivered a statement run, clocking 3:09.87 to not only seal qualification but also set a new African record.Sabastian Sawe’s coach discloses training regime that bore marathon world recordThe team finished second in the heat won by Great Britain. The result marked a perfect start to their campaign and showcased Kenya’s growing strength in the relay discipline.Lining up in the final heat, Kenya’s charge was sparked by George Mutinda, who kept the team within reach despite sitting fifth after the opening leg.##NAJAVA_MECA_9719747##The momentum shifted dramatically when Mercy Oketch took over. In a stunning second leg, Oketch reele..

We have all seen it, the conversation around Sabastian Sawe’s 97 gram shoe valued at approximately Ksh64,000 that the Kenyan used while making history, becoming the first human to run the marathon in under two hours (1:59:30).Download our MozzartSport App For More NewsSawe’s Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, a revolutionary racing shoe dubbed a ‘sub-100-gram supershoe,’ is said to represent a dramatic drop from the typical 138–200 grams of elite running shoes.##NAJAVA_MECA_9719886##The impact, just as massive, a study cited by the Wall Street Journal suggests that reducing shoe weight by about 100 grams (3.5 ounces) can save roughly 57 seconds over a marathon distance.In the midst of a debate on the said advantage, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe says the federation will not “strangle innovation”.”I don’t think any society, any civilisation, any sector of the economy has been served well if you try to strangle innovation,” he told BBC Sport Africa on a visit to Botswana before th..

Team Kenya heads into the Debswana World Athletics Relays in Gaborone with quiet confidence, targeting a strong showing in the mixed 4x400m, even as global heavyweights line up for what promises to be a fiercely competitive contest from Saturday, 2 to Sunday, 3 May.Download our MozzartSport App For More NewsThe United States arrive as the benchmark, boasting world titles, records, and defending champion status but Kenya’s recent rise in relay running suggests the gap may not be as wide as it once seemed.Kenya underlined that progress last year in Guangzhou, securing bronze in the mixed 4x400m, and qualifying their men’s 4x100m team for the 2025 World Championships. That performance marked a turning point for a nation traditionally dominant in distance running, but now steadily building credibility in sprint relays.GABORONE, WE READY 🔥It’s almost time for the #WorldRelays to kick off ‼Here’s everything you need to know including how teams qualify to future championships and where to wat..

Botswana, a Southern Africa nation with a population of about 2.6 million people, on Saturday, 2 and Sunday, 3 May, will be thrust into the global limelight. The country will bot be on the limelight for its diamonds, but the showcasing of talent to the rest of the world as the capital Gaborone comes alive for the Debswana World Athletics Relays Championships.It’s all about the roar from the crowd, the pounding of spikes on the blue track, the split seconds that define greatness. It is all about gold, silver, bronze, and, yes, diamonds!Download our MozzartSport App For More NewsHere are 10 things you need to know about the Debswana World Athletics Relays1.It will be the first time in the history for this global event to be hosted in Africa. It serves as the main qualification event for the relays at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest in September and next year’s World Athletics Championships in Beijing;2.The host nation is a top contender, led by Olympic med..

Reigning national 200m champion Samuel Chege is determined to spark a new era in Kenya’s sprinting scene, drawing inspiration from Africa’s fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, as he targets success in the half-lap.Chege has been in impressive form this season. On Saturday, 18 April, he stormed to victory in the men’s 200m at the Addis Ababa Grand Prix, clocking a personal best of 20.63 seconds.Download our Mozzart Sport App for more newsThe performance saw him edge out national rival Zablon Ekwam. The rising sprinter doubled down on his progress at the same meet, setting another personal best of 10.33 seconds in the 100m. He also impressed with a second-place finish at the Botswana Grand Prix, posting 20.87 seconds.##NAJAVA_MECA_9719966##Now, Chege’s focus shifts to the global stage after earning a spot in Kenya’s 4x100m mixed relay team for the World Athletics Relays set for Saturday, 2 to Sunday, 3 May in Gaborone, Botswana.Chege, who trains under coach Duncan Ayiemba alongside Omanyala..

The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) has unveiled a special holiday package for Kenyan marathoner Sabastian Sawe in recognition of his historic performance at the 2026 London Marathon.Download our Mozzart Sport app for more newsSawe, the current marathon world record holder, made history by becoming the first man to run a marathon in under two hours, clocking an extraordinary 1:59:30.##NAJAVA_MECA_9712473##The offer, a fully sponsored four-night luxury getaway dubbed the Champion’s Retreat, will allow Sawe to recover at a premier destination of his choice within Kenya.KTB Chief Executive Officer June Chepkemei hailed the achievement, noting that it transcends individual success and reinforces Kenya’s global athletics pedigree.“Sabastian Sawe has elevated Kenya on the global stage, flying our national flag higher at an international platform. London, where this historic feat was achieved, remains one of our key tourism source markets, and such moments resonate strongly with global audiences. S..