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Kenenisa Bekele won Sunday, September 29, the famous Berlin Marathon by signing the second best performance of all time. With a time of 2 hours, 1 minute and 41 seconds, the Ethiopian failed two seconds behind the record of Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge. His victory does not erase his frustration.
The Berlin marathon, reputed to be the fastest in the world and therefore the most conducive to top-flight performances , has almost failed to shake the planet of athletics, far from Doha (Qatar) where are currently held the World Championships . It is not for nothing that most specialists in the discipline have shunned the Worlds to focus 42,195 kilometers Berlin on Sunday 29 September.
Bekele makes Kipchoge forget
Last year, Eliud Kipchoge had smashed the world record , which had held since 2014, on the same bitumen. Kenyan won the race in 2 hours, 1 minute and 39 seconds; the previous best mark, made by compatriot Dennis Kimetto four years earlier, was 2 hours, 2 minutes and 57 seconds ... Kipchoge had put 1 minute and 18 seconds to the record. A huge chasm.
This September 29, the 2016 Olympic champion was not in Berlin to defend his title, too busy preparing for his new attempt to pass under the 2 hours in special conditions.
But despite the absence of Kipchoge, the marathon world record has faltered in the German capital. Another great cross-country racer has made an exceptional race: Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele. The one who already holds the world records of 5.000m and 10.000ma almost afford that of the marathon.
Pain slowed him down to the 31st kilometer
In the optimal conditions of Berlin, Kenenisa Bekele led a near perfect race, keeping in reserve her great strength: her incredible finish. His compatriot Birhanu Legese, author of a super marathon, was able to see for himself. After racing in the lead, on the 37th kilometer, the Bekele rocket dropped it to win and a clock.
Before that, at the 31st kilometer, the Ethiopian slowed down a bit, suffering a pain. " I slowed down a bit to relax. And then I pushed again, "he explained after the race. Even without being 100%, by his own admission, Kenenisa Bekele was able to finish fast and nibble, meters after meter, the seconds to get closer to the world record.
Unhappy to miss the record of so little
Unfortunately for him, the clock is unforgiving. And despite his efforts, Bekele finished his marathon in 2 hours, 1 minutes and 41 seconds ... just 2 seconds longer than the Kipchoge record. He still becomes the second man to break below 2 hours and 1 minute, and he improves his personal best of 1 minute and 22 seconds. All this at the age of 37 (Kipchoge was 33 years old in his record of 2018).
" I am very happy to have achieved my best personal performance, and this result encourages me for the future, " said Kenenisa Bekele, already winner of the Berlin Marathon in 2016. " But miss the world record for 2 seconds ... I'm not happy, "he added.
It may be for next time. His performance of the day almost conceals that his dolphin, Birhanu Legese, only 25, has him the 3rd best time in history (2 hours, 2 minutes and 48 seconds). With the latter, the indestructible Bekele and the machine Kipchoge , the marathon records have not finished shaking.