Flomena Chepchirchir and Patrick Makau Musyoki after the 2007 Berlin 25km (© Marisa Reich)
Berlin, GermanyKenyan runners once again dominated the Berlin 25km race, which was the main event among others races in today’s Run Berlin with 9044 participants from 42 nations.
It was the defending champion Patrick Makau Musyoki who took the race again. The 22 year-old reached the finish in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium with a time of 1:14:22. Taking into account the very warm weather conditions with temperatures reaching around 25° Celsius at the end of the race this was another strong performance by Musyoki.
Flomena Chepchirchir (Kenya) won the women’s race in 1:25:38.
MEN
The pacemakers in the men’s race set an early pace which would have led towards a finishing time of 1:12:45. This is the course and World record set by Paul Kosgei (Kenya) in Berlin three years ago but soon after the 10km point this mark got out of reach for the leading runners.
“It was simply too warm today for such a record chase”, said Musyoki, who decisively broke away at 17km.
Nonetheless he did at least achieve one goal. His time of 1:14:22 is the fastest in the year so far at this distance.
Kenyans took the first seven places today with William Kiplagat coming in second with 1:15:25 and Matthew Koech taking third place in 1:15:48.
Meanwhile, Musyoki continued his win streak: He remains unbeaten in Berlin. After last year’s 25 k race he had also won the Berlin Half Marathon a month ago.
WOMEN
There was a surprise in the women’s race since it was last year’s champion Peninah Arusei who was supposed to be the big favourite. But the Kenyan had to be content with second place in 1:26:17 today.
Instead it was 24-year-old Flomena Chepchirchir who took the honours. She broke away from Arusei with 5km to go.
“This is the biggest success of my career so far. I did not expect to be able to beat Peninah in this race since she had beaten me only a week ago in a 10k race,” said Flomena Chepchirchir.
Magdaline Chemjor (Kenya), who had won this race in 2001 and 2002, took third place in 1:29:58. Russia’s Natalya Volgina was fourth with 1:32:36.
“We are happy with this race. Taking into account the very warm weather the winning times are really great”, said Race-Director Derk Kogelheide.
Jörg Wenig for the IAAF
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