Kenyans Eliud Kipchoge and Gladys Cherono scored convincing victories at the 44th BMW Berlin Marathon here today, despite soggy conditions which made fast running difficult.
Kipchoge, the reigning Olympic Marathon champion, clocked 2:03:32, the fastest time in the world this year, while Cherono crossed the finish line in a solid 2:20:23. It was the second time winning in Berlin for both athletes.
The results might have been disappointing for some fans, however, who had been hoping to see a world record.
Race director Mark Milde had assembled the most powerful trio of marathon men since Khalid Khannouchi, Paul Tergat and Haile Gebrselassie clashed at the London Marathon back in 2002 which produced a world record by Khannouchi.
“I think we prepared everything in a way that is the best possible situation for them, and then it’s up to them,” Milde told Race Results Weekly in a brief interview two days ago.
