Former record holders give different predictions for Berlin

Eliud Kipchoge poses after crossing the finish line to win the elite men's race of the 2018 London Marathon in central London on April 22, 2018. Former world marathon record holder Paul Tergat has tipped Kipchoge to win Berlin while Patrick Makau, another former record holder, believes Kipchoge's body has reached its limit. PHOTO | DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS |

What you need to know:

  • Makau who is the second Kenya to hold the world record after his 2:03:38 exploits during the 2011 Berlin Marathon, reckons it will be difficult for Kipchoge and Kipsang to break the world record
  • Tergat said even though breaking the world record will depend on athletes’ fitness level, pacemakers and the weather, chances of Kipchoge breaking the record are high
  • Makau noted that Kipchoge and Kipsang have exceeded the limit which their body can take.

Former world marathon record holders Paul Tergat and Patrick Makau Saturday differed on whether a new World Record will be set at the 2018 Berlin Marathon slated for Sunday but agreed on victory for Kenya.

Tergat, who not only became the first Kenyan to hold a marathon world record but also the first athlete to run sub 2 hours and 05 minutes, has tipped Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge to break the record based on his current impressive form.
Tergat, who is now the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) President, became the second athlete to set a world record at the Berlin course when he won the 2003 Berlin Marathon in 2:04:55.

The world record has since been broken five times only at the Berlin course; Haile Gebrselassie in 2:04:26 and 2:03:59 in 2007 and 2008 followed by Kenya Patrick Makau (2:03:38) in 2011, Wilson Kipsang (2:03:23) in 2013 and Dennis Kimetto (2:02:57) in 2014.

Makau, who is the second Kenya to hold the world record after his 2:03:38 exploits during the 2011 Berlin Marathon, reckons it will be difficult for Kipchoge and Kipsang, who are the main protagonists in the race, to break the world record.

Tergat said even though breaking the world record will depend on athletes’ fitness level, pacemakers and the weather, chances of Kipchoge breaking the record are high.

“Records are set to be broken hence no time is permanent is athletics,” said Tergat. “Some records may take time to be broken and that is what give these athletes the motivation to wake up and work hard to achieve.”

Tergat said Kipchoge’s consistent finishes in the recent past since setting his personal best of 2:03:05 with victory in 2016 London, gives him an edge over Kipsang.

“Kipchoge has ventured outside 2:04 only when he won the Rio Olympic Games in 2:08,” said Tergat. “But again marathons can be unpredictable.”

“The record is possible since I believe both athletes are fit and have been training for it. Pacesetters must be strong with personal times of 2:06,” said Tergat. “The weather can be a hindrance but Berlin has always had the best weather.”

Tergat said while Kimetto’s world record of 2:02:57 is under threat, the dream of running sub 2 hours, will be hard to achieve. “I want to see that accomplished in my life time but it will be impossible in Berlin this year even though is the best course to attack,” explained Tergat, who wished Kipchoge, Kipsang and the other Kenyans best of luck.

Makau, the 2010 and 2011 Berlin Marathon champion, noted that when he broke the world record, he had ran less than five marathons hence Kipchoge and Kipsang have exceeded the limit which their body can take.

“Tergat, Gebrselassie, Kimetto and Kisang had not ran more than six races when they broke the world record. In fact, most had done at most five marathons,” said Makau. “The human body can only stretch to some limit and Kipchoge and Kipsang have already climaxed.”

Makau said even though Kipchoge is favourite to win Berlin, the punishing conditions when he won in London in April might also affect his stab at the world record in Berlin.

“I am not being negative but we need to be realistic since nobody spoke about world records when they were broken. The pressure itself has psychological effect on athletes," said Makau adding that the strategy by Kipchoge (2:03:05) and Kenenisa Bekele (2:03:03) to break the world record did not work.

“They ought to start slow then gradually pick at 30km. The battle for a world record is created in the last 7km,” said Makau explaining that Kimetto hit the 15km mark in 44:10 while Bekele and Kipchoge at 43.37 and 43.17 respectively.

“At 35km, Kimetto was at 1:41:47 while they did 1:42:01 and 1:42:07,” said Makau.

Men's elite field, with personal bests:

Eliud Kipchoge KEN 2:03:05

Wilson Kipsang KEN 2:03:13

Eliud Kiptanui KEN 2:05:21

Amos Kipruto KEN 2:05:43

Abera Kuma ETH 2:05:50

Arata Fujiwara JPN 2:07:48

Yuki Sato JPN 2:08:58

Daisuke Uekado JPN 2:09:27

Kohei Ogino JPN 2:09:36

Kenta Murayama JPN 2:09:50

Daichi Kamino JPN 2:10:18

Zersenay Tadese ERI 2:10:41

Shogo Nakamura JPN 2:10:51

Scott Overall GBR 2:10:55

Julius Ndiritu KEN 2:11:21

Fernando Cabada USA 2:11:36

Chalachew Tiruneh KEN 2:11:54

Saidi Juma Makula TAN 2:12:01

Women's elite field, with personal bests:

Tirunesh Dibaba ETH 2:17:56

Gladys Cherono KEN 2:19:25

Aselefech Mergia ETH 2:19:31

Edna Kiplagat KEN 2:19:50

Ruti Aga ETH 2:20:41

Mizuki Matsuda JPN 2:22:44

Rei Ohara JPN 2:23:20

Honami Maeda JPN 2:23:48

Andrea Deelstra NED 2:26:46

Inés Melchor PER 2:26:48

Carla Rocha POR 2:27:08

Caterina Ribeiro POR 2:30:10

Ines Montero POR 2:30:36

Rachel Hannah CAN 2:32:09

Anke Esser GER 2:43:14

Miyuki Uehara JPN Debut