LONDON — Running his first major marathon in unseasonably warm temperatures, Sabastian Sawe made it look easy.
The Kenyan runner made a solo breakaway with more than six miles left and never looked like wavering in the sunshine as he cruised to victory Sunday in the London Marathon. Sawe pulled away from a leading group of nine runners about 90 minutes into the race and finished in 2 hours, 2 minutes and 27 seconds.
Sawe made his move when his rivals slowed down at a drinks station — opting not to take any water despite temperatures that crept toward 64 degrees Fahrenheit as the elite runners were finishing.
“I saw that was my opportunity to push,” Sawe said. “And I ran well.”
So well that the only rival who was able to give chase was Jacob Kiplimo, the half-marathon world record holder who was making his full marathon debut. Kiplimo was never able to get close to erasing the gap, and the Ugandan finished 70 seconds back in second place.