Eliud Kipchoge plans to lower his own time during Sunday’s race

Double Olympic gold medallist Eliud Kipchoge will be making another attempt on the world marathon record as he eyes his fourth victory at the German capital on Sunday during this year’s edition of the BMW Berlin Marathon.

A total of 45,527 runners from 157 countries are set to tackle the course on the streets of the German capital but Kipchoge is the stand-out name as he returns to one of his favourite race venues.

His world record time of 2:01.39 was set in Berlin in 2018 and he also won the event in 2015 and 2017. He smashed compatriot Dennis Kimetto’s world record that day by one minute, 18 seconds.

A fourth victory in Berlin would equal the achievement of Haile Gebrselassie, who won the race from 2006 to 2009.

“Berlin is the fastest course. It’s where a human being can showcase their potential to push the limits,” Kipchoge said upon his arrival in Berlin on Tuesday.

Since Kipchoge’s world record run four years ago, only Kenenisa Bekele has come close to that mark with a 2:01:41 in Berlin a year later.

In 2019, Kipchoge became the first man to ever win the London marathon four times and made history by being the only man to complete a 42km run in under two hours albeit in controlled conditions.

Kipchoge will turn 38 in November but his goal is to win an unprecedented third Olympic marathon title in Paris in 2024. He did not run in the World Championships this summer in Eugene but his most recent marathon was at the Tokyo Marathon in March where he broke the course record with 2:02:40 – the fourth fastest time in history.

Defending champion Guye Adola, who as a marathon debutant in 2017 nearly surprised Kipchoge, will be hoping to spoil Kipchoge’s party.

There is also a world-class women’s field confirmed for the 48th edition of the event, headlined by American pair Sara Hall and national record holder Keira d’Amato.

Also worth keeping an eye on is Kenya’s reigning Valencia Marathon champion Nancy Jelagat Meto.