After spending two years being known as the man who came agonisingly close to matching the marathon world record, Wilson Kipsang of Kenya broke that record handsomely in the 40th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on Sunday morning, clocking 2.03.23, thus taking 15 seconds off compatriot Patrick Makau’s 2.03.38, set in this same race two years ago.
“I was feeling strong so I decided to push,” Wilson Kipsang told Eurosport. “I’m very happy that I’ve won and at breaking the world record.”
Barely a month after Makau’s world record, Kipsang, now 31 won the Frankfurt Marathon 2011 in 2.03.42. He went on to win the London Marathon 2012, but was relegated to third in the Olympic race in London three months later.
Now Kipsang is on top of the marathon mountain. And Berlin’s cachet of possessing the fastest marathon course in the world is again emphasised. This is the eighth world record on the course in 15 years.
“If I prepare very well, and with the same shape (I can go faster). Today there was a lot of wind, I was really fighting,” he said.
In only his second marathon, Eliud Kipchoge, former world 5000 metres champion, finished second in 2.04.05, improving his best by a minute and a half; and another Kenyan, Geoffrey Kipsang (no relation) finished third in 2.06.26.
