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Kenenisa Bekele wins thrilling duel with Wilson Kipsang
and misses world record by six seconds
Kenenisa Bekele established himself as the second fastest marathon
runner ever, winning the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON with a time of 2:03:03 on
Sunday. In a thrilling duel the Ethiopian superstar beat Kenya's Wilson
Kipsang. While he missed the world record of Kenya's Dennis Kimetto by just
six seconds he smashed the Ethiopian record of Haile Gebrselassie, who had
won the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON back in 2008 with a then world record of
2:03:59. Kenya's Olympic Champion Eliud Kipchoge was the world leader for
the year before Berlin with a time of 2:03:05 from London in April. Wilson
Kipsang, who ran a world record of 2:03:23 in Berlin three years ago, was
second with a personal best of 2:03:13. It was only on the final kilometre
that the Kenyan could not match Bekele's finishing pace. Evans Chebet of
Kenya took third with a fine 2:05:31. Only once has there been a faster
marathon as far as the finishing times of the first two men are concerned.
When Dennis Kimetto ran the current world record of 2:02:57 in Berlin two
years ago fellow-Kenyan Emmanuel Mutai was second with 2:03:13.
Ethiopia's Aberu Kebede took the women's race in a world-class time of
2:20:45, which is the second fastest time in the world this year. With her
third Berlin win after 2010 and 2012 Kebede joins Berlin's record winners
Uta Pippig (Germany) and Renata Kokowska (Poland). Birhane Dibaba (2:23:58)
and Ruti Aga (2:24:41) made it an all Ethiopian podium in Berlin in ideal
weather conditions.
41,283 runners from 122 countries entered the 43rd edition of the race,
which belongs to the Abbott World Marathon Majors and is an IAAF Gold Label
Road Race.
Men's Race
The pace by the men in the early stages was incredibly quick. A 5km split
of 14:20 was the kind of tempo to take them across the finishing line close
to the magical barrier of the sub-two hour marathon. Not unexpectedly, the
pace slowed but, at halfway with the pacemakers having made an early exit
several kilometres previously, the lead group was timed at 61:11 which
still put them inside the world record of Dennis Kimetto, who had run
2:02:57 in Berlin in 2014.
The man who broke up the five-strong leading group was Wilson Kipsang with
his surge shortly before 30 kilometres. The Kenyan's attack ripped apart
the group also comprising Kenenisa Bekele and Kipsang's compatriots Alfers
Lagat and Evans Chebet along with Bekele's fellow Ethiopian Sisay Lemma.
Kipsang made three attempts to drop Bekele, the world record holder at 5
and 10,000m on the track. He built the lead up to 20 metres but the
Ethiopian always had a response, showing that his marathon best of 2:05:04
going into Berlin was on course for a major improvement. Kenenisa Bekele
found something extra to take the lead in the final kilometre, breaking
away for the greatest road race victory of his career, achieving a special
landmark into the bargain despite going to close to the world record.
"I'm so happy to have broken the Ethiopian record of Haile Gebrselassie,"
said the 34-year-old Bekele. "I'm a little disappointed as well, since I
didn't break the world record. But I hope I can come back here again and
get a second chance. Towards the end of the race I had a few problems with
my hamstrings but otherwise was ok."
Wilson Kipsang also hoped it would be second time lucky for him. "I was
going all out to break the world record but couldn't quite do it. But
there's always another time. Overall I ran very well and felt very relaxed.
It was a great race with Kenenisa Bekele, even though I finished second,"
explained Kipsang, who did most to push the pace throughout and perhaps
used more energy than Bekele as a front runner.The Kipsang family had more
than one runner on the start list over the weekend: Wilson brought his
eldest son Bethuel to watch him in action for the first time at a major
race. The 12-year-old ran the Mini-Marathon on Saturday for schoolchildren,
held over a tenth of the marathon distance. He didn't have the best of
starts, having to pick himself up after a fall and ran on to finish. His
father commented that this was his first chance to gain experience of
international competition!
Women's Race
The women were also fast in getting underway. Birhane Dibaba, Ruti Aga and
Aberu Kebede soon formed a leading group, going through 10km in 33:12.
After 17km Aberu Kebede, in search of her third Berlin victory, was out in
front and led through halfway in 69:27. At 30km the 30-year-old Ethiopian
running splits which would take her inside the course record. That record
stood at 2:19:12, set by Japan's Olympic champion Mizuki Noguchi in 2005.
But with 10 kilometres remaining, Aberu Kebede lost some vital energy,
finishing in 2:20:45 instead of achieving her ambition of breaking 2:20.
"But I'm very happy to have won her for the third time. It was a big
ambition to break 2:20 and it still is. I hope to have another chance to
achieve this in Berlin," said Aberu Kebede.
Results
Men:
1. Kenenisa Bekele ETH 2:03:03
2. Wilson Kipsang KEN 2:03:13
3. Evans Chebet KEN 2:05:31
4. Sisay Lemma KEN 2:06:56
5. Eliud Kiptanui KEN 2:07:47
6. Geoffrey Ronoh KEN 2:09:29
7. Alfers Lagat KEN 2:09:46
8. Yohannes Gebregergish ERI 2:09:48
9. Jacob Kendagor KEN 2:10:01
10. Suleiman Simotwo KEN 2:10:22
16. Steffen Uliczka GER 2:15:02
Women:
1. Aberu Kebede ETH 2:20:45
2. Birhane Dibaba ETH 2:23:58
3. Ruti Aga ETH 2:24:41
4. Reia Iwade JPN 2:28:16
5. Katharina Heinig GER 2:28:34
6. Janet Ronoh KEN 2:29:35
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