Marathon News - 2:04:26 World Record for Gebrselassie in Berlin

Sep-30-2007

2:04:26 World Record for Gebrselassie in Berlin
by Bob Ramsak
(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

Running in near ideal conditions, Haile Gebrselassie shattered the World record in the marathon, clocking 2:04:26 at the real,-Berlin Marathon today.

Defending his Berlin title, the 34-year-old Ethiopian knocked 29 seconds from the preview record, 2:04:55, set by Kenyan Paul Tergat over the same course in 2003.

Gebrselassie, who had previously broken 23 world records or bests over his career, reached the half way point in 1:02:29.

Kenyans took the next three spots, with Abel Kirui second in 2:06:51, Salim Kipsang (2:07:29) third and Philip Manyim, the 2005 Berlin winner, fourth (2:08:01).

Gete Wami defended her women's title, winning in 2:23:17, well ahead of Germany's marathon debutant Irina Mikitenko, who took second in 2:24:49.