Cheruiyot aims to break world marathon record

Four-time Boston Marathon champion Robert “Mwafrika” Cheruiyot (pictured) has entered the ING New York City Marathon 2009 on November 1. PHOTO/ FILE

Four times Boston marathon champion Robert Cheruiyot will attempt to break the world marathon record at the World Championships in Berlin in August.

Cheruiyot, who has just shaken off a thigh injury, said he will only take part in one race, the Lisbon Half Marathon, on March 21 before attempting his fifth Boston Marathon title in April.

“Thereafter, I will focus on the World Championships. It is crucial for me to win it because I had looked forward to securing the Olympic gold, but the injury ruined my plans,” he said.

But the organisers of the World Championships are yet to release the official route to be used at the August championships which will be different from the traditional Berlin Marathon that will run on September 20.

“Although the official course of the World Championships marathon is yet to be released, I’m confident it will not be as difficult as the Boston Marathon,” Cheruiyot said.

He said that many had thought it would be difficult to break Tergat’s 2:04.55 time but Gebrselassie has shattered it twice to set the current best time of 2:03.59.

“It is never hard. All I need is patience, in two months I will be more confident,” Cheruiyot said.

Cheruiyot heads to Eldoret for his training together with London marathon champion Martin Lel and Evans Cheruiyot, winner in Chicago last year. They are training under Italian coach Claudio Berardelli and are managed by Gabriele Rosa.

Cheruiyot was speaking at the Nyayo National Stadium, where he joined other marathon greats Gebrselassie, Tergat and Douglas Wakiihuri on a morning run as part of the G4S training programme.

Cheruiyot, said he will not be running in this Sunday’s Eldoret Discovery Half marathon race organised by Rosa and sponsored by the American sports goods manufacturing giants, Nike.