Eliud Kipchoge added yet another chapter to his matchless career by running a world record time of 2:01:09 thanks to a mesmeric display of distance running at the BMW Berlin Marathon today.

The 37-year-old Kenyan scalped a further 30 seconds from his former world record set four years ago (2:01:39) in the German capital and he also claimed a record-equalling fourth BMW Berlin Marathon victory. For the first 24k of the race, Kipchoge had the help of NN Running Team athletes Noah Kipkemboi and Moses Koech who ran as his pacers.

Finishing in second place was fellow Kenyan Mark Korir in the time of 2:05:58 and taking third was Tadu Abeta from Ethiopia who clocked a 2:06:28. Both finished more than a km behind Kipchoge.

An elated Eliud said, β€œNo limitations, after 38k I knew I would be capable of breaking the world record. Circumstances were great, and so was the organization of the event. I’m really happy with today and impressed by the fans and their support.”

Today was the 15th victory in 17 career marathons for Kipchoge and his tenth triumph in an Abbott World Marathon Major. He is also a double Olympic marathon champion and in 2019 became the first man in history to run a sub-two-hour marathon as part of the INEOS 1:59 Challenge (unratified for world record purposes).

Almost every single kilometre split was from 2:50 to 2:57 throughout the race. Kipchoge’s average was approximately 2:52, a 28:50 10K. He ran 59:51 and 61:19 half-marathon splits.

With the win, he holds four of the five fastest times in history: 2:01:09, 2:01:39, 2:02:37 and 2:02:40. Buddha is the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Olympic Champion. Of the nine times that he has toed the line in a Marathon Majors, he has won eight, and finished second once.

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