Two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge has revealed the lesson learned after winning his fifth Berlin Marathon title on Sunday, September 24, 2024.
Although the legendary runner failed to break the competition’s record, he made a remarkable achievement as he recorded the fifth-fastest time of his illustrious career.
Despite stiff competition from gun to tape, the 38-year-old defended his title in 2:02:42, but this was short of breaking his own record of 2:01:09 he set in Berlin 12 months ago.
Kipchoge’s reaction
To him, however, failing to break the record is a lesson ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
“I always learn from every race and every victory. I’m very happy to win for the fifth time in Berlin. And I shall use these lessons in my preparation for the Olympics.
“I was expecting to do the same, but that’s not how it happened, and that’s the way sport is. Every race is a learning lesson,” Kipchoge said after his triumphant run on the course of Berlin once again.
Meanwhile, he won by 31 seconds, beating his closest rivals, Kenya’s Vincent Kipkemoi and Derseh Kindie of Ethiopia.
Kipchoge and Kindie broke early from the pack and reached the 5km in 14:12 with a 15-second margin over the rest of the elite men. They were operating at exactly 2:00:00 marathon pace at 10km which they reached at 28:27.
The closest rivals reached the halfway point at 1:00:22, where they set a world record. However, it became clear that they would not break Kipchoge’s 2022 record at the 25km mark.
Kipchoge commanding lead
The Kenyan legendary runner opened the gap at the 31km mark as Kindie followed for another minute or so before stepping off the course.
With around 10km to go, Kipchoge maintained a good lead, and at this point, his pace was rather controlled.
Eventually, he became a Berlin Marathon champion in 2:02:42, and Kipkemoi came in second in 2:03:13, while Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele was third in 2:03:24.
Nine men finished inside 2:05 and 15 finished inside 2:06, making it the deepest men’s marathon in history.
Germany’s Amanal Petros (ninth in 2:04:58) and Switzerland’s Tadesse Abraham (11th in 2:05:10) registered national records.
Leading results
Men
1 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:02:42
2 Vincent Kipkemoi (KEN) 2:03:13
3 Tadese Takele (ETH) 2:03:24
4 Ronald Korir (KEN) 2:04:22
5 Haftu Teklu (ETH) 2:04:42
6 Andualem Shiferaw (ETH) 2:04:44
7 Amos Kipruto (KEN) 2:04:49
8 Philemon Kiplimo (KEN) 2:04:56
9 Amanal Petros (GER) 2:04:58
10 Boniface Kiplimo (KEN) 2:05:05