Patrick Makau of Kenya celebrates after winning the 38th Berlin Marathon
on September 25, 2011 in Berlin. He set a new world record in an
official time of 2hr 03min 38sec. Photo/AFP
By AFP
Posted Sunday, September 25 2011 at 12:06
Posted Sunday, September 25 2011 at 12:06
In Summary
Timeline of men's marathon world record:
- 2hr 12min 11sec. Abebe Bikila (ETH), 1964 in Tokyo
- 2hr 12:00. Morio Shigematsu (JPN), 1965 in Chiswick (London)
- 2hr 09:36. Derek Clayton (AUS), 1967 in Fukuoka (JPN)
- 2hr 08:33. Derek Clayton (AUS), 1969 in Antwerp (BEL)
- 2hr 08:13. Alberto Salazar (USA), 1981 in New York (USA)
- 2hr 08:05. Steve Jones (WAL), 1984 in Chicago (USA)
- 2hr 07:12. Carlos Lopes (POR), 20/04/85 in Rotterdam (NED)
- 2hr 06:50. Belayneh Dinsamo (ETH), 17/04/88 in Rotterdam (NED)
- 2hr 06:05. Ronaldo Da Costa (BRA), 20/09/98, in Berlin
- 2hr 05:42. Khalid Khannouchi (MAR), 24/10/99, in Chicago (USA)
- 2hr 05:38. Khalid Khannouchi (USA), 14/04/02, in London
- 2hr 04:55. Paul Tergat (KEN), 28/09/03, in Berlin
- 2hr 04:26. Haile Gebrselassie (ETH), 30/09/07, in Berlin
- 2hr 03:59. Haile Gebrselassie (ETH), 28/09/08, in Berlin
- 2hr 03:38. Patrick Makau (KEN), 25/09/11, in Berlin
Kenya's Patrick Makau set a new world record in the
marathon on Sunday winning the Berlin Marathon in an official time of
2hr 03min 38sec.
The 26-year-old defending champion smashed the old mark of 2hr
03:59 set by Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie in the same race in
2008.
Gebrselassie had a torrid time failing to finish,
just as he did in New York last November, after being prominent up to
the 35km mark.
Makau led home a Kenyan 1-2-3 with one
of the six designated pacemakers for the event Stephen Kwelio Chemlany
taking second in 2hr 07:55 while Edwin Kimaiyo was third finishing in
2hr 09:50.
Makau - a two-time half marathon world silver medalist - said he hadn't expected to set a new world record when he woke up.
"I
didn't feel very well when I woke up this morning," said Makau, who
showed he was a force in the event last year with two victories, here
and in Rotterdam.
"But once the race got underway everything went well.
"At the 25km mark, I felt then I could break the world record.
"It
is the most beautiful day of my career, it is super to beat Haile one
of my heroes and, if God so wishes it, I will be Olympic champion next
year."
Makau upped the pace dramatically at the 27km mark which left Gebrselassie trailing.
The
Ethiopian, 38, was clearly in trouble and stopped briefly on the side
of the route visibly exhausted before resuming but his race was up and
just as in New York - where he was so disappointed he announced he was
retiring - did not have the power to finish.
Gebrselassie
had vowed before this race that he wanted to post a really fast time
here to obtain his qualifying time for the next year's Olympics in
London.
While Gebrselassie's race ended in tears
another star name from the sport Paula Radcliffe enjoyed a more
successful day out as she finished third in the women's race but
crucially achieved the qualifying time for the Olympics.
Radcliffe,
who will be 38 in November, had mixed emotions after the race which was
her first over the distance in almost two years.
"I am
happy and disappointed at the same time after this third place," said
Radcliffe, whose sole global title came in this event at the 2005 world
championships.
"But it's been a tough year, with a lot of ups and downs, everything I had to come through.
"But I have at least achieved the qualifying time for the London Olympics which is the essential thing.
"Now
I have to build for London," added Radcliffe, who will be seeking to
make it third time lucky at the Olympic marathon after failing to finish
in 2004 and was 23rd in Beijing four years later.
Kenya's
Florence Kiplagat won the race in only her second marathon while
Germany's Irina Mikitenko, winner here in 2008, was second.
The 24-year-old - whose previous effort had seen her fail to finish in Boston in April - timed 2hr 19 min 43 sec.
"I came here in a confident frame of mind, even after failing to finish in Boston," she said.
"But
its true that I was thinking above all of finishing the race. When I
passed the 30km mark, I said to myself that I was going to finish."
Factfile on Makau
Honours
Marathon: 1st Berlin 2010 and 2011, Rotterdam 2010, 3rd London 2011
World half-marathon: team gold and individual silver 2007 and 2008
Records:
Marathon: 2hr 03min 38sec (world record) 25 September 2011 in Berlin
Half-marathon: 58min 52sec February 20 2009 in Ras Al Kaimah (UAE)
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