Kenyan Patrick Makau shattered the world men’s marathon record by 21 seconds on Sunday when he clocked two hours three minutes 38 seconds over the fast, flat Berlin course on a warm, sunny morning.
Makau ran alone for the final 12 kms to break the previous mark of 2:03:59 set by Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie on the same course three years ago. It was the fifth time the men’s world record has fallen on the 42.195-km race through the German capital.
The 26-old-Kenyan won the Berlin race last year and finished third in London this year after falling 22 kms into the race. Makau, a former half-marathoner, previous best marathon mark was 2:04:48 in Rotterdam last year. “What I can say is that we have started a new generation in marathon running,” Makau told reporters. “This is the greatest day of my running life.”
“When I woke up today my body didn’t feel very good but at 25 kms I felt I could break the world record.”
