Nandi County anticipates Kipchoge world record as organisers set world marathon split schedule

Berlin Marathon organisers on Saturday set a fast, enticing halfway split time of 61 minutes and 30 seconds, laying the marker for what promises to be a fantastic 42nd edition of the world’s fastest marathon on the streets of the German political capital on Sunday.

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge will be chasing compatriot Dennis Kimetto’s world marathon record of two hours, two minutes and 57 seconds, set on the same course last year, with Emmanuel Mutai and Geoffrey Mutai providing the supporting cast.

The 61:30 split means the athletes will average two minutes and 55 seconds per kilometre, targeting a finishing time of 2:03.00.

During last year’s world record run by Kimetto, the lead pack crossed the halfway mark at 61:45 while the previous year, when Wilson Kipsang shattered the world mark, the halfway split was 61:32.

The fastest hallway split is 61:27 by Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie in the 2008 Dubai Marathon where he faded in the second half to win the race in 2:04.53.

In last year’s Berlin race, Emmanuel Mutai (2:03.13) also ran inside Kipsang’s previous world mark although he faded to a 2:10, 11th place finish at April’s London Marathon.

BMW Berlin Marathon race director Mark Milde has employed three Kenyans to set the pace for the lead group today, namely Philemon Rono (Global Sports Communications), Wilfred Murgor and David Kogei (both Volare Sports).

Ethiopia will offer what is seen as a “lukewarm” opposition to the Kenyans through Feyisa Lelisa (personal best 2:04.52) and Tamirat Tola (2:06.17).

Kipchoge’s record bid will reignite the fierce battle for North Rift athletics supremacy between the three athletics-rich counties of Nandi, Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet that has seen Elgeyo Marakwet (Kipsang) and Uasin Gishu (Kimetto) hold the world record, with Nandi’s Kipchoge looking to get even today.

Bank of Africa, Mediheal Hospital and the Nandi County Government have offered Nandi County athletics fans a treat by partnering to hold a public live viewing of the race at the Tortoise Hotel in Kapsabet where athletes will also be offered education on banking and financial management by Bank of Africa from 8am.

In April, the bank sponsored similar viewing parties in Kapsabet for the Boston Marathon and in Iten for the London Marathon.

While Nandi County prides itself as the “Source of Champions”, due to the fact that many legendary runners, including pioneers Kipchoge Keino and Henry Rono were born there, Uasin Gishu County has taken up the tag of “City of Champions” owing to the metropolitan status of Eldoret town.

Meanwhile, Elgeyo Marakwet markets itself through the tag of “Home of Champions” with many world beaters having their homes around its capital, Iten, where Kipsang also owns the popular Keellu Resort, one of the town’s biggest hotels.

“The Berlin Marathon is another opportunity for Nandi County to cement its position as the source of champions,” Kipkorir Birgen, the communications director at the Nandi County Government, said yesterday.

Nandi Governor Cleophas Lagat is among guests expected at the Tortoise Hotel Berlin Marathon “Viewerthon” tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Nandi County Government executive in charge of sports Patrick Sang, himself an Olympic steeplechase silver medallist, travelled to Berlin with Kipchoge, whom he also coaches under the Global Sports Communications stable.

Kipchoge told journalists in Berlin on arrival that he is confident of a good go at the world mark if the conditions allow.

“If everything comes together in Berlin, something very special can happen. I'm convinced that my training partner Emmanuel Mutai and I can push on together towards a new world record. Geoffrey Mutai has probably had too many problems recently, so I expect less of him,” said Kipchoge.

He doesn’t see Kimetto’s sub-2:03 time as a daunting challenge, and even predicts the possibility of a sub-one hour marathon in the near future.

“I set myself no limits – everything is possible. I'm also convinced that in the next ten years someone will run under two hours. Two half marathons, back-to-back, in 59:30 would give a time of 1 hour 59 minutes – that is not unrealistic,” says Kipchoge who was born on November 5, 1984 in Nandi’s Kapsisiywa location.

Kenya will field just one athlete in the women’s race in Berlin with Gladys Cherono, in just her second race, chasing a sub-2:20 time, facing a challenge mainly from Ethiopia’s pair of Mare Dibaba and Aberu Kebede.

Cherono debuted in the marathon with a 2:20.03 in January’s Dubai Marathon.

“This is my first time in Berlin and I’m so looking forward to the race. The other runners have more experience of the marathon but I’ve been learning,” she said in Berlin on Thursday.