![\"Patrick](\"http:\/\/www.time-to-run.com\/marathon\/wp-content\/uploads\/Makau-Berlin.590.jpg\" "\\"Patrick")
<\/a>Patrick Makau World Record Berlin <\/p><\/div>\n
The 26 year-old Kenyan clocked 2:03:38, beating Haile Gebrselassie and improving the record of the Ethiopian by 21 seconds. With a dramatic surge after 27 k defending champion Patrick Makau had dropped Haile Gebrselassie well behind. While the Ethiopian later dropped out after the 35 k mark he lost another world record to Patrick Makau on a miserable day for him: The Kenyan had passed the 30 k mark in 1:27:38, eleven seconds quicker than Haile in 2009. Split times will be officially ratified as world records if times were taken by official referees. That was the case in Berlin on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Stephen Chemlany (Kenya), who had been a pacemaker for the second group, finished second with 2:07:55. Fellow Kenyan Edwin Kimaiyo was third (2:09:50). Felix Limo (Kenya\/2:10:38) was fourth while Britain\u2019s Scott Overall ran 2:10:55 for fifth place in his debut. He should have qualified for the London Olympics 2012 with this performance.<\/p>\n
In the women\u2019s race Florence Kiplagat stole the show from the two stars, Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain) and Irina Mikitenko (Germany). The 24 year-old Kenyan clocked the second fastest time of the year worldwide, winning with 2:19:44. Irina Mikitenko finished second (2:22:18) and world record holder Paula Radcliffe was third (2:23:46) in her marathon comeback after giving birth. Regarding the depth of the women\u2019s elite results this was the best race in the history of the BMW BERLIN MARATHON. Atsede Habtamu (Ethiopia\/2:24:25), Tatyana Petrova (Russia\/2:25:01) and Anna Incerti (Italy\/2:25:32) all were inside 2:26.<\/p>\n
40,963 Runners from 125 nations had entered the 38th BMW BERLIN MARATHON. One million people lined the streets of the German capital. The race lived up to all expectations, with the eight world record since 1977.<\/p>\n
The men\u2019s race was forecast to be a duel between the elder statesman Gebrselassie, aged 38, and the young pretender, 26 year old Makau; so it turned out, briefly, but not before an intriguing prelude to halfway and beyond, when the pair were led by half a dozen (Kenyan) pacemakers, and accompanied by Kimaiyo, John Kyui and Emmanuel Samal, also all Kenyans<\/p>\n
Setting out with the intention to pass halfway in 62 minutes, the group prepared the path for Makau\u2019s eventual double triumph by going through the \u2018half\u2019 in 61.44. Gebrselassie was always at the head of the group in the lee of the pacers throughout this early stage. He only began to concede the \u2018lead\u2019 between 24 and 25 kilometres, and that proved to be a sign of things to come.<\/p>\n
At 27 kilometres, Makau decided he\u2019d had enough of the procession. His initial acceleration dropped his trio of colleagues- Kyui, Kimaiyo and Samal \u2013 and then he got to work on Gebrselassie. Makau spurted past the pacemakers, and began weaving across to the road, in an obvious attempt to unsettle the Ethiopian master.<\/p>\n
It worked almost immediately. Barely 200 metres later, Gebrselassie dropped back, veered to the right side of the road, and stopped. He was joined by race director, Mark Milde, following on his customary bicycle. While Makau continued his relentless assault on Gebrselassie\u2019s record, the man himself was bent double, shaking his hand to indicate breathing difficulties. However, within a minute, he straightened up, and began pursuit.<\/p>\n
Makau was gone, but the Ethiopian successfully passed Kimaiyo, and went back into second place. But he was running on borrowed time. Though still second at 35k, he dropped out shortly afterwards.<\/p>\n
The measure of how difficult it would have been to combat Makau is that the Kenyan ran his second half in 61.54, that\u2019s to say, just ten seconds slower than the group had run the first half.<\/p>\n
It was an extraordinary demonstration of his strength and talent. Added to which, he finished with a flourish. Heading towards the parallel women\u2019s finish, he had to jump a temporary kerb, separating it from the men\u2019s finish, before he grabbed the finish tape in exultation, having shattered Gebrselassie\u2019s previous world record of 2.03.59, set here in 2008, by 21 seconds.<\/p>\n
Of the moves which disposed so successfully of Gebrselassie, he said afterwards, \u201cIt is one of my tactics. I did some zig-zags, to confuse him. I had a lot of energy, and wanted to tire him. He was trying to use me, to maintain the pace, and I wanted to run alone, either behind him or to the side, so I did a zig-zag to one side and he followed, I did it to the other side, and the next time, I couldn\u2019t see him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis (world record) is very special for the Kenyans, especially beating the Ethiopians. Everyone in Kenya will be happy for me. My manager is getting a lot of calls from Kenya, and I hear there were lots of people watching TV in bars, and breaking bottles when they saw the world record\u201d.<\/p>\n
Temperatures rose from a perfect 10C at the start to around 16C by the men\u2019s finish, but Makau indicated that the bright sunlight in his face made it seem hotter, and said he thought he (and others) could go even faster. \u201cI only had a pacemaker until 32k, so I had to do the last 10k alone. I think if someone was with me, I can run faster, but I think someone else can run faster also.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I knew at 32k that I could win and break the world record, even though I had to do the last part by myself. Today was my day\u201d.<\/p>\n
There was no gainsaying that, nor that this should make him an early choice for the Kenyan squad for London 2012. It also helped put another nail in Ethiopian aspirations to distance running domination.<\/p>\n
At Friday\u2019s press conference, Geb had talked about the relative demise of his compatriots at the recent world championships, in contrast to the Kenyan successes. \u201cWe are going to have to work harder,\u201d said Geb. Well, that task is even more demanding now, following this Kenyan double-header, with the added zest of Makau\u2019s world record.<\/p>\n
For a first-time marathon finish, Kiplagat\u2019s performance was equally laudable. The way she headed the field from the start contradicted her assertion at the post-race press conference that she had only hoped, \u201cof finishing, and not winning\u201d.<\/p>\n
By the time Radcliffe relented at 12k, admitting afterwards that she had started too fast in an attempt to match the 24 year old Kenyan, it was only a matter of Kiplagat\u2019s margin of victory. It turned out to be over two and a half minutes.<\/p>\n
A decade and more older than the Kenyan, Mikitenko and Radcliffe both opined that Kiplagat needed to prove herself in other marathons before she could consider herself a marathoner. They might have been hoping that she returns to the track and country, where has enjoyed much success.<\/p>\n
But that\u2019s not going to happen. Kiplagat said, \u201cI have some problems wearing spikes (spiked running shoes), so I won\u2019t be running on the track or doing cross country anymore. I\u2019m a marathoner now\u201d. And the latest addition to the elite sub-2.20 club.<\/p>\n
Mikitenko had plenty of reason to be overjoyed. She has had her share of injury problems in the last 24 months, since her second successive London Marathon victory. She had said she wanted to run 2.22 here, and set out accordingly calmly, letting Kiplagat and Radcliffe go. Her plan worked perfectly, she reeled Radcliffe in at around 34k, and finished in 2.22.18.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really happy,\u201d she said at the press conference, \u201cafter all the months of hard training, everything worked as well as I hoped. I can now look forward to London 2012\u201d.<\/p>\n
Radcliffe was more circumspect. \u201cI\u2019m not particularly happy, either with my time or my place. I came here wanting to win; I didn\u2019t really have a time in mind, although I thought I was in 2.22 shape. I probably went out too fast, and I had a bad patch between 37 and 38k.<\/p>\n
\u201cI could see the Ethiopian (Habtamu, who finished fourth) coming back to me, and people were telling the gap was getting closer, \u2018ten seconds, eight seconds, etc,\u2019 . So I\u2019m not particularly happy, but there are a lot of positives to take out of it. The foot I had operated on two and half years ago gave me no problems at all today. I need to race more, get back into racing mode\u201d.<\/p>\n
So, for time being, Radcliffe avoids the Wagnerian ultimatum, Twilight of the Idols, but what of Gebrselassie, after the second drop-out in his last two marathons?<\/p>\n
Uncharacteristically, he declined to attend the press conference, to explain his forfeit, but his manager Jos Hermens said that, while it may be, \u201cthe end of an era, of record breaking for Haile, it\u2019s not the end of his career.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had a breathing problem, like he had in London (in the past). It\u2019s exercise-induced asthma. He has a \u2018puffer\u2019, but he hasn\u2019t used it in ages, and he didn\u2019t use it this morning. He\u2019s back in the hotel now and he\u2019s fine.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe needs to find a fast course now, to do 2.04 or 2.05, and qualify for London (Olympics). We originally planned to run a fast time here, then go to Tokyo (Jan\/Feb), but Tokyo is not a fast course. He might have to run Dubai (third week in January).<\/p>\n
\u201cHe can still run 2.05, but maybe by then, others will be running 2.02. He\u2019s had a great career, 20 years at the top, but age is eventually going to catch up. But it\u2019s his dream to run in a fifth Olympics\u201d.<\/p>\n
And if this is the endgame for Haile, Radcliffe, still the women\u2019s world record was on hand to provide an epitaph.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhatever happens,\u201d said Radcliffe, \u201che\u2019s the greatest male distance runner in history, taking track, cross country and road into consideration. And with the Olympics as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know how he does it. When you hear he employs 630 people, and has all that administration, as well as training. In contrast, I get up and get two kids off to school. It\u2019s amazing what he\u2019s done; I hope he doesn\u2019t retire, but at some point you have to say, my body\u2019s had enough\u201d.\u00a0 photo credit: Victah Sailer<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Patrick Makau has crowned the 38th BMW BERLIN MARATHON with a world record. The 26 year-old Kenyan clocked 2:03:38, beating Haile Gebrselassie and improving the record of the Ethiopian by 21 seconds. With a dramatic surge after 27 k defending champion Patrick Makau had dropped Haile Gebrselassie well behind. While the Ethiopian later dropped out […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":768,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,18,29,1],"tags":[90,181,430,691,695,945],"class_list":["post-767","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-berlin","category-featured","category-kenya","category-news","tag-90","tag-berlin","tag-haile-gebrselassie","tag-patrick-makau","tag-paula-radcliffe","tag-world-record"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.time-to-run.com\/marathon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.time-to-run.com\/marathon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.time-to-run.com\/marathon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.time-to-run.com\/marathon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.time-to-run.com\/marathon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=767"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.time-to-run.com\/marathon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/767\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.time-to-run.com\/marathon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/768"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.time-to-run.com\/marathon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.time-to-run.com\/marathon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.time-to-run.com\/marathon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}