Kipsang and Makau Plan to Break Marathon World Record in Berlin
Worlds two fastest
marathoners, Wilson Kipsang and world
record holder, Patrick Makau revealed their plans to lower the marathon world record that stands at
2:03:38.
Both Kenyans have set plans to go under 2 hours and 3 min mark at the Berlin marathon on September 29, the same coarse where Makau set the world record in 2011.
Kipsang who set his person best of (2:03:42) in Frankfurt in October of 2011 is confident that the world record will be under under attack at the Berlin's race.
“I can’t say how low we intend to reduce the world record,” Kipsang said on Monday to capitalfm.co.ke. “However, if the weather and other factors remain constant, running under the 2:03 mark is very much possible.”
“I have no idea if it will be me or Makau, but both of us are fast runners and we are on the comeback of sorts. The pace makers also have to do their part, but even if we fail to run under the 2: 03 mark, it will not take long before somebody does that. It is becoming competitive.”
With Berlin marathon three weeks to go, Makau teaming-up with the meeting organizers found the best possible solution to attack the record.
“I have secured permission to have my training mate Edwin Kiptoo run in Berlin. He will help me a lot. He will be a pace maker and he has been permitted to run as far as possible. So we will see how the body responds and then decide if going for the record is attainable,” he concluded.
The women's field will highlight past champions Florence Kiplagat of Kenya who won the event in 2011 and Irina Mikitenko of Germany who won it back in 2008. Three very strong Kenyans; Sharon Cherop, the 2012 Boston Marathon champion, Georgina Rono, and Helah Kiprop will also compete in Berlin on Sunday, September 29.
