Kipchoge sets new world record at Berlin Marathon

Two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge broke the record he set in 2018 by 30 seconds. This is the first Berlin Marathon held without restrictions since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kenyan athlete Eliud Kipchoge broke the marathon world record by half a minute on Sunday.

The previous record was also set by Kipchoge in Berlin.

Some 45,527 runners from 157 countries were registered to take part in the marathon. It was the first Berlin Marathon to be held without restrictions since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

What is Kipchoge’s record?
Kipchoge, who is a two-time Olympic champion, clocked 2 hours, 1 minute and 9 seconds at his fourth marathon win in Berlin.

In 2018, Kipchoge set the record at 2:01:39.

Mark Korir, also from Kenya, came second, almost 5 minutes behind Kipchoge.

Ethiopian runner Tigist Assefa won the women’s race, clocking in at 2:15:37. This was the third fastest time ever, and 18 minutes faster than Assefa’s previous races.

Kipchoge also won the Berlin Marathon in 2015, 2017 and 2018; he now draws level with Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie as a four-time Berlin Marathon winner.

Kipchoge has won 15 of his 17 official marathons.

In 2019 in Vienna, Kipchoge clocked 1:59:40, but this was not recognized as a world record as it was not an open race.

‘Still more in my legs’
“My legs and my body still feel young,” said the 37-year-old Kipchoge. “But the most important thing is my mind, and that also feels fresh and young. I’m so happy to break the world record.”

“There is still more in my legs. I hope the future is still great. My mind is still moving, the body still absorbing the training.

“I am happy with my preparation and I think I was so fast because of the teamwork,” Kipchoge added. “Everything is down to teamwork.”

sdi/msh (AP, dpa, Reuters)/© DW