Eliud Kipchoge won the Berlin Marathon with a time of two hours, one minute, and nine seconds
© Abdulhamid Hosbas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images © Getty Images
Kenyan running icon Eliud Kipchoge won the Berlin Marathon on Sunday and smashed his own world record by 30 seconds, clinching the event with an impressive time of two hours, one minute, and nine seconds.
The 37-year-old set his previous best time in the German capital four years ago, and looked destined to achieve greatness once more after covering the race’s first 10 kilometers in a mere 28 minutes and 23 seconds.
Completing 15 kilometers in 42 minutes, 32 seconds suggested he could finish the race in under two hours, but Kipchoge started to drop off at around 25 kilometers and slowed down at the 30-kilometer mark, which he passed in one hour, 25 minutes, and 40 seconds.
Kipchoge’s pace was too much for defending champion Guye Adola and Ethiopian Andamlak Belihu, who fell away in the second half of the race.
2️⃣:0️⃣1️⃣:0️⃣9️⃣Eliud Kipchoge is full of emotion as he makes more marathon history with a world record in Berlin 💥📹 @wendyslyrun#BerlinMarathon 🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/OIcX4KeDZ5
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) September 25, 2022
Running the first half of the marathon in 59 minutes and 51 seconds, and the second half in 61 minutes and 18 seconds, Kipchoge was almost five minutes ahead of fellow countryman Mark Korir, who finished second with a time of two hours, five minutes, and 58 seconds.
Celebrating his 15th marathon win in 17 attempts, Kipchoge gave further credence to claims he is the greatest long-distance runner of all time, with two Olympic gold medals and 10 major titles to his name.
One of the few milestones he hasn’t surpassed is running a marathon in under two hours. Kipchoge managed this in Vienna in 2019, but the feat was not recognized as an official world record due to not being in open competition and Kipchoge using a team of rotating pacemakers.
Asked if he would attempt a sub-two hour run at the Berlin Marathon next year, Kipchoge answered: “Let us plan for another day.”
“I will celebrate this record and have to [see] what happens. Just roll and see what happens,” he added.
In the women’s race, Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia ran the third-fastest time in history and set a Berlin Marathon course record of 2:15.37.
