FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kenenisa Bekele challenges Eliud Kipchoge and Wilson Kipsang in Berlin
The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON will stage a unique contest on September 24: for
the first time in the history of the event the top three marathon runners
in the world will be on the start line as the Kenyan duo of Eliud Kipchoge
and Wilson Kipsang take on Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele. The BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON is an Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM) event and an IAAF
Gold Label Road Race.
Eliud Kipchoge's avowed intention is to break the world marathon record of
his compatriot Dennis Kimetto, which the latter achieved in Berlin in 2014
with his time of 2:02:57. Kichoge had a kind of "lab test" at the beginning
of May when he ran 2:00:25, the fastest time ever for the marathon
distance, on the Formula One circuit of Monza in Italy. But this feat was
achieved with the help of a team of substitute pacemakers who also formed a
wind shield from start to finish.
Under normal race conditions a maximum of three pacemakers is permitted and
no substitutes are allowed. Kipchoge later commented: "In Monza I was so
close to breaking the two-hour barrier. The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON represents
for me the right opportunity to attack the official world record." At the
age of 32 Eliud Kipchoge can look back on a long and successful career as a
long distance runner. He won the world 5,000m title in 2003, silver and
bronze medals at the Olympic Games over the same distance in 2004 and 2008
respectively and is the reigning Olympic Marathon champion, thanks to his
victory in Rio in 2016.
The greatest day in the 35-year-old Wilson Kipsang's career so far was four
years ago in the 40th edition of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON when he took 15
seconds off the world record of his compatriot Patrick Makau's time of
2:03:38. But Kipsang's record of 2:03:23 stood as the world record for just
12 months: in 2014 Dennis Kimetto became the first man to run the marathon
under three hours with his 2:02:57 on Berlin's renowned fast course. That
remains the world record. In 2016 Kipsang ran ten seconds faster than his
world record in Berlin but it was only good enough for second place behind
the Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele. The Ethiopian set a 2:03:03 personal best in
winning the title and missed the world record by a mere six seconds.
Kipsang had pushed the pace during the second half of the race and didn't
have the strength to counter the fast-finishing Ethiopian over the last two
kilometres. But last year's race left Wilson Kipsang with the conviction
that he still had another very fast marathon in his legs and he wants to
prove that on September 24: "I am highly motivated and my preparation has
been more meticulous than ever."
Kenenisa Bekele went within six seconds of the world record last year on
the Avenue of June 17 and did that despite suffering muscle problems
several times during the second half of the race. He fought back from each
bout of muscle cramp and turned his superior basic speed to winning effect
at the finish.
The 35-year-old Ethiopian is the most successful long distance track runner
in history. Three times Olympic champion and World champion on five
occasions at 5 and 10,000m, he has also won 11 World Cross Country titles
over the short and long distances. For good measure, he also holds the
world records for 5 and 10,000m.
Kenenisa Bekele turned to the marathon in 2014. The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on
September 24 will be his eighth following his winning debut in Paris with
2:05:04, then Chicago (4th in 2:05:51), a dnf in Dubai in 2015, London in
2016 (3rd in 2:06:36), Berlin 2016 (1st in 2:03:03), another dnf in Dubai
2017 and London (2nd in 2:05:57). Many experts consider Kenenisa Bekele's
achievements in the long distances have earned him the distinction of being
the greatest all-round runner of all time.
Mark Milde, race director of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON since 1999 whose
duties include recruiting the elite field, is delighted at this summit
meeting of such distance running talent: "It's a dream match-up. It's not
often that the three strongest marathon men in the world race each other.
As organizers we are crossing our fingers for good weather and thrilling
competition."
Profiles of the the top stars
Kenenisa Bekele, ETH?Born: 13 June 1982
Marathon PB: 2:03:03 (Berlin 2016)
Major results:
2004 and 2008: Three-time Olympic Champion at 5,000 m and 10,000 m. 2004
Olympic Silver medallist at 5,000 m.
2003, 2005, 2007, 2009: Four-time World Champion at 10,000 m. 2009: World
Champion at 5,000 m. 2003: Bronze medal at World Championships in 5,000 m.
2002 to 2006: Ten times World Cross Country Champion (short and long
distance) plus 2008 at long distance.
Current world record holder at 5,000 m: 12:37.35/2004
Current world record holder at 10,000 m: 26:17.54/2005 (ran a WR of
26:20.31 in 2004)
Eliud Kipchoge, KEN?Born 5 November1984
Marathon PB: 2:03:05 (London 2016)
Major results:
2016: Marathon Olympic Champion ?Winner Virgin Money London Marathon
2015: Winner Virgin Money London Marathon
Winner BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
2014: Winner Rotterdam Marathon?Winner Bank of America Chicago Marathon
2013: Winner Hamburg-Marathon?Second BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
2010: Silver medallist Commonwealth Games, 5,000 m
2008: Silver medallist Olympic Games, 5,000 m
2007: Silver medallist World Championships, 5,000 m
2004: Bronze medallist Olympic Games, 5,000 m
2003: World Champion 5,000 m?World Junior Cross Country Champion
Wilson Kipsang, KEN?Born: 15 March 1982
Marathon PB: 2:03:13 (Berlin 2016)
Major marathon results:
Winner Tokyo 2017
Winner London 2014
Winner New York 2014
Winner Berlin 2013
Bronze medallist Olympic Games 2012
Winner Honolulu 2012
Winner Frankfurt 2010, 2011
Men's Marathon World Records in Berlin
1998 Ronaldo da Costa BRA 2:06:05
2003 Paul Tergat KEN 2:04:55
2007 Haile Gebrselassie ETH 2:04:26
2008 Haile Gebrselassie ETH 2:03:59
2011 Patrick Makau KEN 2:03:38
2013 Wilson Kipsang KEN 2:03:23
2014 Dennis Kimetto KEN 2:02:57
There were three women's world records as well in Berlin: 1977 Christa
Vahlensieck (FRG) 2:34:48, 1999 Tegla Loroupe (KEN) 2:20:34, 2001 Naoko
Takahashi (JPN) 2:19:46
More information is available online at: www.berlin-marathon.com
###
|
