Kenenisa Bekele wins, misses record

Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele after crossing the finishing line in Berlin on Sunday. (Photo: AFP)

Kenenisa Bekele admitted he was disappointed to have missed the world record by six seconds on Sunday as the Ethiopian won the Berlin marathon ahead of former winner Wilson Kipsang.

The ex-Olympic 5,000m and 10,000m champion crossed the finish line in an official time of two hours 03min 03sec — just short of Dennis Kimetto’s world record of 2:02:57 set here in 2014.

Bekele’s time was an Ethiopian national record and he took two minutes off his personal best.

“It went according to plan,” said Bekele, who finished third at this year’s London marathon.

“I wanted to beat my personal best. I ran a fantastic time, but I’m just a little disappointed to miss the world record by a few seconds.”

Bekele pocketed 70,000 euros ($78,585) for winning the race, but those six seconds cost him the 50,000 bonus he would have landed had the world record fallen.

Kipsang, who won the 2013 Berlin Marathon in a then-world record time, finished ten seconds back in 2:03:13 and fellow Kenyan Evans Chebet took third in 2:05:31.

Bekele ran the second fastest time ever and Kipsang’s time was the fourth fastest.

Bekele and Kipsang led an elite group of seven runners, which was ahead of the world record pace at the halfway stage and Kipsang made his move at the 30km stage.

He reached the 35km mark in 1:41:56 - exactly on the world record pace - with Bekele trailing just behind him, but the Ethiopian caught the Kenyan with three kilometres to go.

Bekele pulled clear of Kipsang as the pair headed towards the finish just past Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate.

In the women’s race, Aberu Kebede, claimed her third Berlin win, in 2:20:45 ahead of Birhane Dibaba, who finished 3:13 minutes back, and Ruti Aga at 3:57 in an Ethiopian sweep.