by Alfonz Juck
Kipchoge, Bekele, Kipsang, Milde, Berlin Presser, September 22, 2017, photo by PhotoRun.net
This year’s Berlin Marathon will be a tremendous event. The hype is this: Ken Nakamura, top statistician notes that the field is the finest since 1984 Olympic marathon. Kipchoge, Bekele and Kipsang all want to win, but, who will?
BERLIN MARATHON NEWS
BERLIN (GER): BMW Berlin Marathon race director Mark Milde says times for the pacemakers have not yet been set for this Sunday’s world record (2:02:57) attempt, but added “it will definitely not be slower” than last year when the leaders went through halfway in 61:11 when Kenenisa Bekele just missed the mark with 2:03:03.
BERLIN (GER): The key figures in the BMW Berlin Marathon showdown spoke in the official pre-race press conference. Olympic champion and 2015 Berlin winner Eliud Kipchoge talked of the non-ratifiable 2:00:25 ‘sub-two’ attempt on the Monza F1 circuit. “For me this marathon was a big success and I have drawn a lot of motivation from it. I want to run the first half in 60:45 on Sunday. He added: “Victory on its own is no success – it is simply a necessity. There are three of us and there will be only one winner,” said Kipchoge.
BERLIN (GER): Kenenisa Bekele believes he can beat his 2:03:03 from last year but plans a more conservative race than Eliud Kipchoge. He said at the press conference: “60:45 has no place in my plans. I shall follow the lead if I can. That way I shall not put myself under stress and listen to my body. I am well prepared.”
BERLIN (GER): Wilson Kipsang, a former world record-holder with 2:03:23from Berlin 2013, reckons he will be quicker than his 2:03:13 for second in 2016. “This time it’s a different situation, there are three of us,” he said, comparing it to last year’s duel with Bekele. “The pacemakers are stronger this time. I believe we shall have more support. A halfway split of between 61:00 and 61:10 would be good for me.”
BERLIN (GER): Former world record-holder Patrick Makau has withdrawn from the BMW Berlin Marathon with a knee injury. “Patrick Makau will not compete in 2017 Berlin Marathon due to reoccurring knee injury, with knee getting aggravated less than 2 weeks ago. As Patrick Makau’s preparations for 2017 Berlin Marathon were very good, first goal is to deal with said knee injury. Racing decisions will not be rushed and are to be subject to rehab and return-to-training phases that await Patrick,” said his management group Ikaika Sports on Twitter.
BERLIN (GER): A record number of 43,852 runners from 137 countries have entered the 44th edition of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. The race, the biggest one-day sports event in Germany, is an IAAF Gold Label event and one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors series.
