Kimetto Breaks World Record In Berlin

This is the first time a marathon race is being run in under 2 hours, three minutes.

Kimetto broke Wilson Kipsang’s record of 2 hours, 3 minutes and 38 seconds set in 2013 on the same course.

Compatriot Emmanuel Mutai finished second with Ethiopian athlete Abera K speeding past Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworor in the final stages to deny Kenya a podium sweep.

The Berlin marathon has always been a fertile hunting ground for marathoners seeking to set a world record.

Leading Kenya’s charge today were last year’s Chicago marathon champion Dennis Kimetto, 2011 London marathon champion Emmanuel Mutai, Eliud Kiptanui and Levy Matebo.

Giving them a run for their money was Ethiopian Tsegaye Kebede, the 2013 London marathon champion.

The Lead pack stuck together until the hour mark when a surge saw Kebede left behind.

Kenyans Matebo and Kiptanui also lost ground at the same point, way before the group had reached the halfway point.

Kimetto, Mutai and Geoffrey Kamworor were the leaders at the halfway point when an improvement on the world record pace begun to be seen.

At the 30km mark, Mutai surged ahead after the pacemakers dropped out of the race.

On the 32km mark, Kimetto took the lead and Mutai quickly caught as the duo pulled away from Kamworor.

Kamworor was not to be left behind as he once again caught up with the leaders.

Kimetto and mUtai pulled away for the final time after 37km and it became a battle between the two.

Kimetto eventually pulled away from Mutai with 5km to go.

He held on to win in a new world record of 2 hours, 2 minutes and 57 seconds, the first time the men’s marathon has been run under 2 hours and 3 minutes.

Mutai finished second, in 2 hours, 3 minutes and 13 seconds, also bettering Wilson Kipsang’s record set last year.

Ethiopian Abera Kuma was third with Kamworor coming in fourth.

Ethiopia’s Trifi Tsegaye won the women’s event with compatriot Feyse Tadese second and American Shalane Flanagan third.

By Maureen Mwende and Maureen Murimi