The 40th BMW-Berlin Marathon , an IAAF Gold Label Road Race and a World Marathon Majors race, will take off tomorrow 29 September marking the opener of the 2013 Autumn marathon season.
Wilson Kipsang of Kenya, the second all time fastest marathon runner in IAAF's book, will be attempting to improve his PB of 2:03:42 set two years ago in Frankfurt by at least 5 seconds in order to break the current world record of 2:03:38 created here also two years ago by compatriot Patrick Makau who had to make a last minute withdrawal due to an injury problem, denying a long-waited head to head meeting of the two world's fastest marathoners on record-eligible courses.
Kipsang is well prepared for tomorrow's race and if he were to succeed he would be the 8th marathon runner to set the 9th world record right here following
Christa Vahlensieck (W GER) 2:34:48 in 1977
Ronaldo Da Costa (BRA) 2:06:05 in 1998
Tegla Loroupe (KEN) 2:20:43 in 1999
Naoko Takahashi (JPN) 2:19:46 in 2001 [1st women to run under 2:20]
Paul Tergat (KEN) 2:04:55 in 2003
Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 2:04:26 in 2007 and 2:03:59 in 2008 and
Patrick Makau (KEN) 2:03:38 (WR) in 2011
In conjunction with its 40th anniversary, the above six former and the reigning wold record holders are here for the celebrations.
Berlin marathon course is widely considered to be the world's fastest and it is at the top ranking of world's fastest marathons for men based on the average of top 10 performances in race history, beating Dubai, Rotterdam, London, Chicago, Bosto, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris and Eindhoven in that order.
(Ref. Runner's World)
Among the top contenders in the elite field lineup at the start tomorrow :
Men
Wilson Kipsang (KEN) 31 ------- PB 2:03:42 Frankfurt 2011
Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 29 -------- PB 2:05:30 (debut) Hamburg 2013
Geoffrey Kipsang (KEN) 21 ----- PB 2:06:12 Berlin 2012
Marilson Dos Santos (BRA) 36 -- PB 2:06:34 London 2011
Women
Florence Kiplagat (KEN) 26 - PB 2:19:44 Berlin 2011
*Irina Mikitenko (GER) 41 --- PB 2:19:19 Berlin 2008
Georgina Rono (KEN) 33 ----- PB 2:21:39 Frankfurt 2012
Sharon Cherop (KEN) 29 ----- PB 2:22:39 Dubai 2012
Desiree Davila (USA) 30 ------ PB 2:22:38 Boston 2011
*German record holder Irina Mikitenko, at 41, will be attempting to break the Master class women marathon world record of 2:25:43
Reference : Berlin Marathon
Statistics:
Course records :
Men - 2:03:38 (WR) - Patrick Makau (KEN) 2011
Women - 2:19:12 - Mizuki Noguchi (JPN) 2005
World Records
Men - 2:03:38 - Patrick Makau (KEN) 2011 Berlin
Women - 2:15:25 - Paula Radcliffe (GBR) 2003 London
World Leading :
Men - 2:04:45 - Leleisa Desisa Benti (ETH) Dubai 25 January
Women - 2:20:15 - Prisca Jeptoo (KEN) London 21 April
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