FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Geoffrey Mutai Wins Berlin with World Lead
Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya re-established his claim to be the world's best
marathoner this morning, but only just.
Mutai won the 39th BMW Berlin Marathon in 2.04.15, narrowly beating his
training partner, Dennis Kimetto, who clocked the fastest marathon debut in
history, 2.04.16. Another Kenyan debutant, 19 year old Geoffrey Kipsang was
third in 2.06.12.
Mutai, 31 next week, clocked the fastest marathon in history when he won a
windswept Boston 2011, in 2.03.02. The drop on the point-to-point course
means that the time was not considered for a world record. That honour went
to his compatriot Patrick Makau, who won here in Berlin a year ago, in
2.03.38. But Mutai underlined his winning credentials when he won New York
Marathon a month later, also in a course record (2.05.06).
But Mutai dropped out of this year's Boston race, and, like Makau suffered
the vagaries of Kenyan selection policy when he was not considered for the
Olympic Games in London.
Determined to attack Makau's time on a Berlin course which has hosted seven
word records in the last 15 years, Mutai's attempt seemed doomed at
halfway, in 62min 12sec, when he and colleagues, Kimetto, Kipsang and
Jonathan Maiyo were over 30 seconds down on their target time.
But so speedy was Mutai with a surge between 30 and 35k (14.18), which
killed off Maiyo and Kipsang, that a record seemed a distinct possibility
with just three kilometres left to run. But that effort had put paid to the
record chances, and interest switched to Kimetto's challenge.
Kimetto, 28, had won both the Berlin half-marathon and the Berlin 25k (in a
world best) earlier this year, with second half surges; and looked so
comfortable loping alongside Mutai that a third Berlin victory this year
seemed a distinct possibility. Even when Mutai took a couple of metres
lead after 35k, he could not drop the younger man. But Kimetto's challenge
evaporated in the final stages when he failed to pressure Mutai, and seemed
content to follow his colleague home a stride or two down.
The finish recalled the circumstances of Paul Tergat's 2.04.55 world record
run here in 2003, when it looked as if Sammy Korir, who had kept going
after his pace making duties, to finish just one second behind, was
reluctant to challenge his celebrated colleague.
Nevertheless, he pronounced himself well satisfied with his speedy debut,
and Mutai immediately said he thought his younger colleague was a potential
world record holder. As for himself, Mutai said, "We had a chance to break
the world record, but the first half was a little slow. I tried to push it
afterwards, but I was having a problem with my left legs, so I just tried
to maintain the pace 'til the finish. But I'm happy with that".
Mutai's time is the fastest of the year, and victory secures him the
overall men's prize in the World Marathon Majors 2011-12. Mutai and Kimetto
ran the fourth and fifth fastest times in history (discounting Boston), and
nine runners have now broken 2.05 this year, also a best.
The women's race was more straightforward, and also ended in a one-two for
training partners, the Ethiopians Aberu Kebede and Tirfi Tsegaye. Kebede
won here in wind and rain in 2010. The contrast in conditions could not
have been more marked. Both races began in bright sunshine at 9am, but with
a perfect temperature of 10C (48F), rising to 14C(55F) by the finish; with
little wind to hinder progress. And though she was accompanied well past
halfway, when Kebede surged ahead of her colleague after 30k, she went on
to win as easily as two years ago, albeit some three and a half minutes
faster, and in a personal best by three seconds. Tsegaye also improved her
best by over 20 seconds, while third placer, Olena Shurhno set a Ukraine
national record of 2.23.32.
RESULTS
MEN
Place Name Nation Time
1 Geoffrey MUTAI KEN 2.04.15
2 Dennis KIMETTO KEN 2.04.16
3 Geoffrey KISANG KEN 2.06.12
4 Nicholas KAMAKYA KEN 2.08.28
5 Josphat KEIYO KEN 2.08.41
6 Josphat JEPKOPOL KEN 2.08.44
7 Jonathan MAIYO KEN 2.09.19
8 Eliud KIPTANUI KEN 2.09.59
9 Felix KENY KEN 2.10.22
10 Masakazu FUJIWARA JAP 2.11.31
WOMEN
1 Aberu KEBEDE ETH 2.20.30
2 Tirfi TSEGAYE ETH 2.21.19
3 Olena SHURHNO UKR 2.23.32
4 Flomena CHEPCHIRCHIR KEN 2.24.56
5 Fate TOLA ETH 2.25.14
6 Alevtina BIKTIMIROVA RUS 2.28.45
7 Caroline CHEPKWONY KEN 2.30.34
8 Anna HAHNER GER 2.30.37
9 Sonia SAMUELS GBR 2.30.56
10 Degefa BIRUKTAYIT ETH 2.33.27
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