Kenyans shine at 2012 Berlin Marathon

Mutai crosses the finish line ahead of Kimetto at the 2012 Berlin Marathon
Photo Courtesy of mobil.morgenpost.de

World's fastest Marathon runner Geoffrey Mutai won the 39^th edition of the Berlin Marathon on Sunday at the German Capital.  

Mutai finished in a time of 2:04:15 ahead of his training partner and debutant Dennis Kimetto (2:04.16) and compatriot Geoffrey Kipsang (2:06.12) who came in second and third respectively.

Mutai who was focused on breaking the world record, was more than half a minute short of the World Record of 2:03:38 set by Patrick Makau last year.

Breaking the World Record for Mutai was something big for his illustrious career, as it would have given him a course record at three of the five World Marathon Majors (Berlin, Boston, and New York), a feat only the late Samuel Wanjiru has rivaled (Wanjiru had the London, Chicago, and Olympic records).

However, Mutai is arguably a marathon great, being the second man from Wanjiru to have three different ‘Majors’ to his name.    

In the Women division, Ethiopia’s Aberu Kebede emerged the victor posting a time of 2:20:30. She was followed by fellow compatriot Tirifi Tsegaye (2:21:19) and Ukraine's Olena Shurhno (2:23:32).

Here are the top 10 results:

Men

1.Geoffrey Mutai (Kenya) 2:04:15
2. Dennis Kimetto (Kenya) 2:04:16
3. Geoffrey Kipsang (Kenya) 2:06:12
4. Nicholas Manza (Kenya) 2:08:28
5. Josphate Keiyo (Kenya) 2:08:41
6. Jonathan Kiplimo Maiyo (Kenya) 2:09:19
7. Eliud Kiptanui (Kenya) 2:09:59
8. Felix Keny (Kenya) 2:10:22
9. Masakazu Fujiwara (Japan) 2:11:31
10. Suehiro Ishikawa (Japan) 2:11:46

Women

1. Aberu Kebede (Ethiopia) 2:20:30
2. Tirfi Tsegaye (Ethiopia) 2:21:19
3. Olena Shurhno (Ukraine) 2:23:32
4. Filomena Chepchirchir (Kenya) 2:24:56
5. Fate Tola (Ethiopia) 2:25:14
6. Alevtina Biktimirova (Russia) 2:28:45
7. Caroline Chepkwony (Kenya) 2:30:34
8. Anna Hahner (Germany) 2:30:37
9. Sonia Samuels (Britain) 2:30:56
10. Degefa Biruktayit (Ethiopia) 2:33:27