![CORRECTION / TOPSHOT - Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge crosses the finish line to win the Berlin Marathon race on September 25, 2022 in Berlin. - Kipchoge has beaten his own world record by 30 seconds, running 2:01:09 at the Berlin Marathon. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP) / “The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Tobias SCHWARZ has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [Kipchoge has beaten his own world record by 30 seconds, running 2:01:09 at the Berlin Marathon] instead of [Kipchoge has beaten his own world record by 29 seconds, running 2:01:10 at the Berlin Marathon.]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require.”](https://www.qatar-tribune.com/watanqatartribune/uploads/images/2022/09/26/29515.jpg)
![CORRECTION / TOPSHOT - Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge crosses the finish line to win the Berlin Marathon race on September 25, 2022 in Berlin. - Kipchoge has beaten his own world record by 30 seconds, running 2:01:09 at the Berlin Marathon. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP) / “The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Tobias SCHWARZ has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [Kipchoge has beaten his own world record by 30 seconds, running 2:01:09 at the Berlin Marathon] instead of [Kipchoge has beaten his own world record by 29 seconds, running 2:01:10 at the Berlin Marathon.]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require.”](https://www.qatar-tribune.com/watanqatartribune/uploads/images/2022/09/26/29516.jpg)
dpa
Berlin
Kenyan great Eliud Kipchoge bettered his own marathon world record by half a minute when he won for a record-equalling fourth time in Berlin.
Two-time Olympic champion Kipchoge clocked 2 hours 1 minute 9 seconds to erase the record of 2:01:39 hours he had clocked 2018 in the German capital. Compatriot Mark Korir was a distant second, 4:49 minutes back.
Kipchoge’s previous Berlin wins were in 2015, 2017 and 2018 and with his latest success he drew level with Ethiopian great Haile Gebrselassie who also won four times there. He has now won 15 of his 17 official marathons, including Olympic gold 2016 and 2021 and the Tokyo marathon in his first 2022 race.
The 37-year-old was on course towards sub 2-hours early on but eventually fell well short of the 1:59:40 he had clocked 2019 in Vienna, a time not recognized as a world record because it was not an open race and held under lab conditions.
The women’s race was also super fast, with Ethiopian Tigist Assefa going third on the all-time list in a course record 2:15:37 hours.
More than 45,000 runners from 157 countries ran on the fast Berlin course but most of the attention was on Kipchoge in almost perfect conditions after some overnight rain.
Helped by three pacemakers he started off in blistering pace, well under 2-hour pace after 15km and passing the half-marathon mark in an extraordinary 59:51 minutes.
Last year’s winner Guye Adola of Ethiopia was long dropped by that time and his unheralded countryman Andamlak Belihu was the last runner to stay with Kipchoge until 25km.
Now on his own, Kipchoge was unable to continue the fast early pace as it soon became obvious he could not dip under two hours like he had three years ago in 1:59:40 in Vienna, a time not recognized as a world record because the race was held in lab conditions.
But he still managed to shave 30 seconds off his previous official world record after running through the famous Brandenburg Gate, finishing 4:49 minutes ahead of compatriot Mark Korir.
Tadu Abata also passed the then fading Belihu to finish third.
“I was happy with my preparation. I was so fast because of the team around me,” Kipchoge told German broadcasters ARD.
Kipchoge’s previous Berlin wins were in 2015, 2017 and 2018 and with his latest success he drew level with Ethiopian great Haile Gebrselassie who also won four times there.
He has now won 15 of his 17 official marathons, including Olympic gold 2016 and 2021 and the Tokyo marathon in his first 2022 race.
On the women’s side, former 800m runner Assefa shook off her last rivals before the 35km mark as she smashed the course record by 2:34 minutes.
Only Kenyan world record holder Brigit Kosgei (2:14:04) and Briton Paula Radcliffe (2:15:25) have ever run faster over the 42.195 kilometres.
Kenyan debutant Rosemary Wanjiru was second 2:18:00 and Tigist Abayechew third for Ethiopia in 2:18.03. Fourth-placed Workenesh Edesa of Ethiopia also dipped below 2:20 hours in 2:18:51.
