BERLIN — He’s done it again.
Two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge broke his own world record in the Berlin Marathon on Sunday.
The Kenyan star clocked 2 hours, 1 minute and 9 seconds to shave 30 seconds off his previous best of 2:01:39 set over the same course in 2018.
“My legs and my body still feel young,” Kipchoge, 37, said. “But the most important thing is my mind, and that also feels fresh and young. I’m very happy to break the world record.”
Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa unexpectedly won the women’s race with a course record of 2:15:37 – 18 minutes faster than ever before. It was the third fastest time ever.
“I wasn’t afraid of my rivals, even though they had faster times than me,” said Assefa.
Kenya’s Rosemary Wanjiru was second on her debut in 2:18:00, the second fastest debut ever, just ahead of Ethiopian runner Tigist Abayechew in 2:18:03.
Conditions in the German capital were ideal for fast racing: cool, around 52 degrees (11 degrees Celsius) after a night of showers, no further precipitation and no wind. Some 45,527 runners from 157 nations registered to take part in the first unrestricted Berlin Marathon since the coronavirus pandemic began.
The number of participants was almost halved under strict restrictions last year, and the 2020 race was called off due to the pandemic.
Kipchoge started at a furious pace on Sunday, covering the first 10km in just 28:23 and clocking 42:32 at the 15km mark, hinting at a sub-two hour attempt. He broke the two-hour barrier in Vienna in 2019 when he ran 1:59:40 in a non-regular race.
Defending champion Guye Adola and fellow Ethiopian Andamlak Belihu managed to hold the pace, initially, but Adola fell back a few meters while Kipchoge was clocking fractions of kilometers between 2:47 and 2:50.
Kipchoge and Belihu completed the half marathon in just 59:51. Adola and Kenyan runners Abel Kipchumba, Mark Korir and Bethwel Yegon followed in 01:01:25.
“I planned to go out fast in the first half,” Kipchoge said.
The last pacer dropped at the 25km mark, leaving Kipchoge alone, but Belihu stayed on his heels.
Kipchoge slowed down a bit as he hit the 30k mark in 1:25:40. Belihu couldn’t keep up and trailed by 21 seconds before falling further back.
At this stage it was just a question of whether Kipchoge would break his own record. He did it.
Compatriot Mark Korir was second, nearly five minutes behind, followed by Ethiopian runner Tadu Abate. Belihu, who had stayed with Kipchoge longer, finished fourth in 2:06:40.