Eliud Kipchoge on why he did not break the world record at the Berlin Marathon

ATHLETICS Eliud Kipchoge on why he did not break the world record at the Berlin Marathon

Abigael Wafula 07:36 - 05.10.2023

Eliud Kipchoge went to the Berlin Marathon with the hope of breaking the world record but unfortunately missed it and he has given reasons why.

Eliud Kipchoge went into the Berlin Marathon with the hope of breaking his own world record but missed it after he clocked 2:02:42 to win the race.

The streets of Berlin have always been his favourite since he set two world records on the same course. He set his first world record during the 2018 edition where he clocked 2:01:39, breaking the previous world record by 1 minute and 18 seconds (2:02:57 set by fellow countryman Dennis Kimetto at the Berlin Marathon in 2014).

He then lowered that time during the 2022 edition where he clocked a time of 2:01:09 to dominate the race. However, the 2023 edition was quite different for the Kenyan since he failed to clock a new world record time and he even posted a much slower time.

“What you plan and what you’re not planning can happen on the way. We had a good plan…during the last half, there were some hiccups and my body was not responding but that is sport.

"I’m just human…when I was training it was good and I was enjoying it but during race day that’s what happened. But I can’t give up…I have to rise again,” Kipchoge said during an interview with the Berlin Marathon press.

The 38-year-old now shifts focus to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games where he intends to become the first man to win the Olympic title in the marathon three times.

He believes he still has the strength in him to keep going but remains unsure of what next after the Olympic Games next year.

Kipchoge did not disclose whether he would return to the streets of Berlin to make history and he insisted that he is a man of protocol.

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