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Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya is currently the best marathon runner in the world. The 2016 Olympic champion is aiming to run faster at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on September 24 than his compatriot Dennis Kimetto who set the world record on the renowned fast course in 2014, stopping the clock at 2:02:57. Kipchoge was only eight seconds slower than Kimetto in the 2016 Virgin Money London Marathon. A few months later he dominated his rivals to win the Olympic title in Rio. The Kenyan knows all about the Berlin course: he won in 2015, running 2:04:00 despite the insoles of his running shoes flapping for much of the race. Two years previously he finished second in Berlin with another impressive time, 2:04:05 while his compatriot Wilson Kipsang broke the world record with 2:03:23. Kipchoge’s personal best is 2:03:05, set when he won London in 2016.
At the beginning of May Eliud Kipchoge took part in a “Laboratory Test” under special conditions on Monza’s Formula One circuit and ran the fastest time ever recorded for the marathon: 2:00:25. However, this was achieved with rotating pacemakers and providing him with a wind shield to boost performance from start to finish. This is not permitted in normal races. Under current rules, a maximum of three pacemakers can be employed but substitutions are not allowed.
Eliud Kipchoge has made clear his objective in Berlin: "I was very close to breaking the 2hour barrier in Monza. Now I believe the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON is the perfect venue for attacking the official World Record"
The Kenyan is 33 and can look back on a long and consistently successful career as a long distance runner. He became the World 5,000m champion in 2003, won silver and bronze at the same distance in the Olympic Games of 2004 and 2008 respectively and is the reigning Olympic Marathon champion.
I am glad to come back to Berlin and run in the streets of the German city again, see you in September! @berlinmarathon@NNRunningTeampic.twitter.com/wtMsuhgxSS
— Eliud Kipchoge (@EliudKipchoge) 6. Juli 2017
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