Record-breakers Kipchoge, Cherono rule Berlin

Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge ran 2:01:39 to erase a monstrous 1 minute and 18 seconds off the World Marathon record as Gladys Cherono completed a brilliant Kenyan double at the Berlin Marathon on Sunday.

Cherono’s winning time of 2:18:10 set a new women’s record at the German capital but on this morning it was all about Kipchoge as his ‘superhuman’ performance obliterated Dennis Kimetto’s 2:02:57 set in 2014.

Kipchoge’s supreme running put him a class above the field with Amos Kipruto and former World record holder Wilson Kipsang ensuring Kenya claimed a clean podium sweep in second and third respectively.

Kipchoge had been coy on whether he’d be attacking the 2:02:57 set at the same course but a very quick opening kilometre of 2:43 after the 2K split betrayed his intent with a 2:02:57 projection.

“I woke up knowing I’d break the World record and maybe even run 2:01 and that’s what I’ve done. I most of the race on my own so I had to keep pushing and keep my composure,” Kipchoge, a three-time London Marathon champion said post-race.

“I lack the words to describe how I feel,” said Kipchoge. “It was really hard [during the last 17 kilometres] but I was truly prepared to run my own race. I had to focus on the work I had put in in Kenya and that is what helped push me. I’m really grateful to my coaching team, my management, the organisation.”

From the early stages of the race, the 33-year-old Kenyan had just a handful of pacemakers for company as they passed through five kilometres in 14:24 and 10 kilometres in 29:21. But shortly after 15 kilometres, which was reached in 43:38, two of the three pacemakers were unable to continue and withdrew from the race.

The final pacemaker, Josphat Boit, led Kipchoge through the half-way point in 1:01:06 before dropping out at 25 kilometres, covered in 1:12:24.

Running alone with 17 kilometres left, Kipchoge then sped up.

He passed the 35-kilometre checkpoint just a shade outside 1:41:00, suggesting a finishing time inside 2:02 was possible. By 40 kilometres, reached in 1:55:32, a world record looked a certainty.

Kipchoge maintained his form well in the closing stages and crossed the finish line in 2:01:39, taking one minute and 18 seconds off the previous world record set four years ago by Kimetto.

It is the largest single improvement on the marathon world record since Derek Clayton improved the mark by two minutes and 23 seconds in 1967.

LEADING RESULTS

Men:

1. Eliud KipchogeKEN2:01:39

2. Amos KiprutoKEN2:06:23

3. Wilson KipsangKEN2:06:48

4. Shogo NakamuraJPN2:08:16

5. Zersenay TadeseERI2:08:46

Women:

1. Gladys Cherono KEN2:18:11

2. Ruti Aga ETH2:18:34

3. Tirunesh DibabaETH2:18:55

4. Edna KiplagatKEN2:21:18

5. Mizuki MatsudaJPN2:22:23

-More soon…