FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Eliud Kipchoge smashes World Record,
Gladys Cherono runs course record and world lead
Eliud Kipchoge crowned the 45th edition of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON with a
fantastic world record in 2:01:39. The 33-year-old Kenyan led from the
start, following his own schedule and was never challenged for the lead.
When he crossed the finish line he had obliterated the world record of
2:02:57, set by his compatriot Dennis Kimetto four years ago in Berlin,
taking the huge margin of one minute, 18 seconds off that time. It is the
biggest advance in the men's marathon world record for over 50 years since
the Australian Derek Clayton ran 2:09:36 in Fukuoka in 1967, slicing
two-and-a-half minutes from the record. It is also the eleventh world
record in the history of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
The Kenyan Amos Kipruto took advantage of good weather conditions to give
himself a 26th birthday present, finishing second with 2:06:23. Wilson
Kipsang of Kenya finished third in 2:06:48 while Shogo Nakamura of Japan
took fourth in 2:08:16.
History was also made in the women's race as Gladys Cherono overturned
pre-race expectations by breaking the course record to run 2:18:11, a
personal best and the fastest women's time in the world this year. Cherono
won her third BMW BERLIN-MARATHON title and went to number four on the
women's all-time list. For the first time in marathon history three women
broke 2:19 in one race as Ruti Aga finished second in 2:18:34 and her
fellow Ethiopian Tirunesh Dibaba took third in 2:18:55, despite having been
expected to lead the challenge for a super-fast women's time.
The combined winning times in this 45th edition of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
made the race the fastest ever over the distance. The aggregate of
Kipchoge's and Cherono's winning performances came to 4:21:08. Before today
this prestigious position was held by the London Marathon with their
combined result of 4:22:48 from this year's race in April.
The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON also set a record for finishers of 40,775 runners
from 133 countries.
Eliud Kipchoge's triumph in Berlin settled the argument as to who is the
best marathon runner in history. The Kenyan was in the lead group from the
start and his only companions were three pacemakers rather than outright
rivals. The latter were unable to raise a challenge to his ferocious pace
and even his pacemakers appeared to struggle at times. The reigning Olympic
Marathon champion went through halfway in 61:06 and by that time had just
one of a original trio of pacemakers with him. Josephat Boit's involvement
lasted until 25 kilometres which left Kipchoge the remaining 17 km to run
alone, a stark contrast to the manner of other world records set in Berlin.
Remarkably this outstanding athlete increased the pace once the last
pacemaker had departed, completing the second half in a "negative split" of
60:33. That is one second faster than the German half marathon record. "It
was my aim to smash the world record and I felt confident before the race.
I've now run 2:04, 2:03 and now 2:01, who knows what the future will
bring!" reflected Eliud Kipchoge who missed breaking the world record in
Berlin in 2015 and last year by bad luck more than anything else. At the
first attempt he had problems with his shoe insoles and in 2017 heavy rain
made conditions difficult. Nonetheless he won both races so completed a
hat-trick with this latest triumph in the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. "I'll
definitely return to Berlin. Berlin for me is eternal," promised Kipchoge
who has now won all but one of his twelve marathons.
Wilson Kipsang, who himself broke the world record here in 2013, inflicting
what has so far been the only defeat in Kipchoge's marathon career, was
full of praise for the world record breaker: "I have to say what Eliud
achieved today is incredible," said Kipsang, who didn't have the best of
days. "I was in good form but the pace up front today was too fast. I
believe I can still run 2:04 or 2:05."
In the women's race Tirunesh Dibaba didn't set off as fast as had been
expected. A big leading group formed which included herself but also fellow
Ethiopians Ruti Aga, Helen Tola and the Kenyan duo of Gladys Cherono and
Edna Kiplagat. Dibaba, despite being the fastest on the start list with her
national record of 2:17:56, appeared to have problems in finding her water
bottle at the drink stations. Later she was troubled by cramp. After
reaching halfway in 69:03 with a lead of seven seconds, she was overtaken
shortly before 25km by first Cherono and then Aga. "I'm disappointed, I
thought I would run faster than this," explained Dibaba.
All three – Cherono, Aga and Dibaba – maintained a pace unprecedented in
any previous women's race in Berlin. They kept it going to the finish as
three women broke 2:19 for the first time here. "When I attacked and
overtook Tirunesh, I felt confident I would win," said Gladys Cherono, who
broke the course record which had stood for 13 years when Japan's Olympic
champion Mizuki Noguchi ran 2:19:12 in 2005. The Kenyan's hat-trick
elevated her into distinguished company as she joined those who have won
the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON title three times: Renata Kokowska of Poland,
Berlin's very own Uta Pippig and the Ethiopian Aberu Kebede.
Results Men:
1. Eliud Kipchoge KEN 2:01:39
2. Amos Kipruto KEN 2:06:23
3. Wilson Kipsang KEN 2:06:48
4. Shogo Nakamura JPN 2:08:16
5. Zersenay Tadese ERI 2:08:46
6. Yuki Sato JPN 2:09:18
7. Okubay Tsegay ERI 2:09:56
8. Daisuke Uekado JPN 2:11:07
9. Wily Chanchanya PER 2:12:57
10. Bart Nunen NED 2:13:09
Results Women:
1. Gladys Cherono KEN 2:18:11
2. Ruti Aga ETH 2:18:34
3. Tirunesh Dibaba ETH 2:18:55
4. Edna Kiplagat KEN 2:21:18
5. Mizuki Matsuda JPN 2:22:23
6. Helen Tola ETH 2:22:48
7. Honami Maeda JPN 2:25:23
8. Carla Rocha POR 2:25:27
9. Miyuki Uehara JPN 2:25:46
10. Rei Ohara JPN 2:27:29
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