FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dennis Kimetto Makes Marathon History on the Streets of Berlin While
Tirfi Tsegaye's Patience is Rewarded With Women's World Lead at
the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
A new chapter in the marathon was opened with a magnificent flourish by
Dennis Kimetto in Berlin on Sunday (September 28). In only his fifth race
at the distance, the Kenyan smashed the 2:03 barrier a year after his
compatriot Wilson Kipsang had brought the world record down to 2:03:23 on
the same course. Kimetto's is the tenth world record on a course which
makes full use of Berlin's flat terrain and gentle corners. The BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON is an IAAF Gold Label race and part of the World Marathon
Majors Series.
Emmanuel Mutai finished second in 2:03:13, ten seconds inside the old
record while Ethiopia's Abera Kuma broke through to the marathon elite with
third place in a personal best of 2:05:56.
Ethiopia's Tirfi Tsegaye fulfilled her ambition of ascending to the top
place on the podium as the 2012 Berlin runner-up took just over a minute
off her personal best to win in 2:20:18, the fastest time in the world this
year and nine seconds ahead of her training partner Feyse Tadese. Shalane
Flanagan attacked early in the race and led through halfway, on course to
break the American record, but faded to finish third in what was
nonetheless her fastest ever time of 2:21:14.
Every leading finisher agreed that conditions could hardly have been better
for the starting gun to set just over 40,000 on their way from the Avenue
of June 17 at 8.45 am. Temperatures rose to around 15 Celsius while the
elite were racing on a still and piercingly bright morning.
Men's Race:
First of the favourites to drop off the pace was Tsegaye Kebede, the
current leader in the World Marathon Majors Series. The diminutive
Ethiopian was off the pace before 20km. A group of five avowed racers, led
by a trio of pacemakers, went through halfway in 61:45, on target for an
attack on Wilson Kipsang's world record of 2:03:23.
The pace had slowed to some 15 seconds outside world record pace but
memories were still fresh of how Wilson Kipsang had produced an
extraordinary late surge 12 months ago. Dennis Kimetto and Emmanuel Mutai
showed they could match that and more, with this year's World Half Marathon
champion Geoffrey Kamworor keeping them company as the leaders went past Am
Wilden Eber, at 28 km, a section of the course where the massed spectators
can be guaranteed to boost the adrenaline.
The clock showed 1:36:01 for 33km, right on world record schedule and even
better was to follow. Kamworor had to yield to the torrid pace as Kimetto
and Mutai ran 2:47 for the next kilometre. The 35km mark is so often
critical in the marathon and this race proved no exception. The duo went
through in 1:42:36, predicting a sub-2:03 finishing time by a margin of
over 30 seconds.
Dennis Kimetto surged with just over 1:50 on the clock, Mutai could offer
no response and the Wilson Kipsang's world mark had a little over ten
minutes left in the record books.
Although Kimetto showed signs of strain as he turned through the
Brandenburg Gate and strode for the finishing line, he achieved the dream,
taking 26 seconds off the world record. This was after having to drop out
of the Boston Marathon in April because of a hamstring injury.
"I felt confident of breaking the world record today. During the race I
felt good and believe I can improve it further. I'd like to return and try
to break it again next year," reflected Dennis Kimetto, who retained his
relaxed composure as the hubbub erupted around him.
Emmanuel Mutai sliced 39 seconds off his best and was also inside the old
world mark.
"I'm still happy with my performance. Dennis was just too strong for me
after 30km today but I believe I could also break this new world record,"
commentated Mutai.
Mutai had the consolation of at least breaking one world record today: he
went through 30km in 1:27:37, improving by one second on Patrick Makau's
time in 2011 en route to his world record.
Abera Kuma proved a revelation in finishing third, achieving a massive
personal best by almost four minutes. The Ethiopian has distinguished
himself on the track, including 5th place in the 10,000m at the 2013 World
Championships.
Women's Race:
For much of the women's race it seemed as if Shalane Flanagan's aggressive
running would be rewarded by breaking Deena Kastor's American record of
2:19:36 as well as capturing the Berlin title. She went through halfway in
69:38. The Ethiopian trio of Tirfi Tsegaye, runner-up in Berlin two years
ago, her training partner Feyse Tadese and Abebech Afewok, were 18 seconds
adrift. But Tsegaye in particular had made a point before the race of
saying she would run at her own pace and see if Flanagan would come back to
them. The race ran to that script.
Just before 30km, Flanagan lost the lead as first Tsegaye and then Feyse
overhauled the American. Flanagan's hopes of the American record faded, as
did her prospect of becoming the 19th women to break 2:20 in marathon
history.
Tirfi Tsegaye went clear to improve her personal best by one minute, one
second, setting the fastest time in the world this year with 2:20:18. Feyse
Tadese also ran her fastest ever marathon and Shalane Flanagan at least had
the consolation of becoming the second fastest US runner ever, having
improved her best by four minutes this year with races in Boston and
Berlin.
"I have to take stock, assess the race splits and reflect on how I can
improve, whether it's a question of training harder or becoming mentally
stronger. I think I need to be stronger over the last 2km, I certainly
learned that today," reflected Shalane Flanagan.
While hopes for a North American record did not materialise there was a
South American record in Berlin: Peru's Ines Melchor clocked 2:26:48 in 8th
place. She improved her own mark of 2:28:54 set in the 2012 Olympic
Marathon in London.
Leading Men's Results:
1. Dennis Kimetto KEN 02:02:57 (World Record)
2. Emmanuel Mutai KEN 02:03:13
3. Abera Kuma ETH 02:05:56
4. Geoffrey Kamworor KEN 02:06:39
5. Eliud Kiptanui KEN 02:07:28
6. Frankline Chepkwony KEN 02:07:35
7. Levy Matebo KEN 02:08:33
8. Maswai Kiptanui KEN 02:10:18
9. Tsegaye Kebede ETH 02:10:27
10. Kazuki Tomaru JPN 02:11:25
Leading Women's Results:
1. Tirfi Tsegaye ETH 02:20:18
2. Feyse Tadese ETH 02:20:27
3. Shalane Flanagan USA 02:21:14
4. Tadelech Bekele ETH 02:23:02
5. Abebech Afework ETH 02:25:02
6. Kayoko Fukushi JPN 02:26:25
7. Anna Hahner GER 02:26:44
8. Ines Melchor PER 02:26:48
9. Rene Kalmer RSA 02:29:27
10. Adriana da Silva BRA 02:38:05
More information is available online at: www.berlin-marathon.com
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