Kenenisa Bekele narrowly missed Eliud Kipchoge’s epic world record by a two frail seconds in Berlin on Sunday, winning an astounding and almost miraculous Berlin Marathon in 2:01:41.
Ahead of the imaginary Kipchoge for much of the race, Bekele recovered from a bad patch at 31K to destroy the challenge of a new Ethiopian generation and go to the very edge of supplanting a record we all thought was out of sight.
“I don’t give up. I have had difficult injuries, until only three months ago, but I am happy to run my personal best,” he said after the race. “I had a tight hamstring at 31K and had to slow down, but then it recovered and I was able to retake the lead.
“I knew I was very close to the record, but I couldn’t quite make it. Before the race, I did not expect a world record, so I am very happy to take 80 seconds off my personal best.”
Men
1. Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) – 2:01:41
2. Birhanu Legese (ETH) — 2:02:48
3. Sisay Lemma (ETH) — 2:03:36
4. Jonathan Korir (KEN) — 2:06:45
5. Felix Kandie (KEN) — 2:08:07
6. Yohanes Gebregergish (ERI) — 2:08:26
7. Dong Guojian (CHN) — 2:08:28
8. Bethwel Yegon (KEN) — 2:08:35
9. Kenta Murayama (JPN) — 2:08:56
10. Abel Kipchumba (KEN) — 2:09:39
