Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge has won the Berlin Marathon and improved his own world record. Phenomenal.
Exceptional, phenomenal, fabulous… There is no shortage of words to salute his performance, his feat. Eliud Kipchoge won the Berlin Marathon on Sunday. And better, the Kenyan improved his own world record by winning in 2 hours 1 minute and 9 seconds. A fourth victory in the Berlin event which allows him to join in history the legend Haile Gebrselassie. But it is the slap he inflicted on his time over the legendary distance (42 km and 195 meters) that once again made an impression. His world record, 2 hours 1 minute 39 seconds, dated back 4 years in these same streets of Berlin. Thirty seconds just won this Sunday which brings him even closer to the fateful 2 hour mark. One day soon…
Eliud Kipchoge shone for ten years on the track (first world title in the 5000m in 2003 at the Stade de France) before converting to the marathon, with incredible success, and winning two Olympic titles (Rio and Tokyo ). He went on the hunt for the world record, so he broke it for the first time in 2018 in Berlin, the fastest event on the planet, because without any real climb, then a second time, this Sunday after a crazy race. Taking advantage of perfect weather conditions, dry weather, a dozen degrees and no wind, he took off with an ultra-fast start and was able to make people think he could go under 2 hours. Witness his time in the semi: 59 minutes 51 seconds.
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Drop in speed
But the three hares that accompanied him were forced to put on the turn signal quickly afterwards. And the star, nicknamed “the philosopher” for his passion for reading, found himself alone from the 25th kilometer. Too alone to finally keep up this furious pace. The passage times at the 30th km (1h 25′ 40′) and at the 35th km (1h 40’10”) confirmed a (slight) drop in speed, which is also experienced by a large majority of amateur marathon runners. The famous 30-35 km bar…
19 marathons and 17 victories
With his “fighter’s spirit”, the 37-year-old runner with soles of wind, continued his iron effort, disciplined his steely mind and lengthened his aerial stride in the last kilometer to pass under the Brandenburg Gate and conclude his legendary race to the ovation of the public in Berlin and from all over the world. Eliud kipchoge, who in 2019 had set the incredible time of 1h 59′ 40” in Vienna over this same mythical distance, but in conditions not allowing official approval (presence of 41 hares in particular), would run in Berlin this Sunday his 19th marathon and he won his 17th victory there. Mind-blowing…
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