Gebrselassie wins Berlin Marathon

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-09-20 19:41

BERLIN: Haile Gebrselassie won the Berlin Marathon for the fourth straight time Sunday despite struggling in the last third of the race.

Ethiopia's marathon runner Haile Gebrselassie blows a kiss as he poses during the victory ceremony next to the Brandenburger Tor gate after winning in the 36 Berlin marathon, September 20, 2009. Gebrselassie won the Berlin marathon for the fourth straight year on Sunday but failed in a bid to break his own world record, clocking a time of two hours six minutes eight seconds. [Agencies]

The Ethiopian star was on world record pace in the first 30 kilometers. But once his last pace maker dropped out, Gebrselassie noticeably slowed down and was gritting his teeth by the time he approached the finish line under the Brandenburg Gate in sunny and warm weather.

"It wasn't marathon weather," Gebrselassie said. "It was too warm in the last 10 kilometers. ... At the beginning it was perfect. I could have tried to push maybe, but really it's wonderful. I am OK."

Gebrselassie set world records in winning on his favorite course the last two years, but this time he finished well over in 2 hours, 6 minutes and 8 seconds.

Last year, Gebrselassie became the first man to run under 2 hours, 4 minutes when he finished in 2:03:59 and slashed 27 seconds off his previous mark. He is the only man to win the Berlin Marathon four times.

Francis Kiprop of Kenya was second in 2:07:04 and Negari Therfa of Ethiopia was third in 2:07:41.

Gebrselassie's pace makers pushed him over the first 30 kilometers and the Ethiopian looked capable of smashing the world mark again. But when Kenya's Sammy Kosgei dropped out, Gebrselassie was left alone in the front and he could not keep up the fast pace.

"Maybe the first 30K were too fast," he said.

The early pace was too much for Duncan Kibet of Kenya, who came into the race with the fastest time in the world this year of 2:04:27, which he ran in April in Rotterdam.

Kibet was more than a minute behind after 20 kilometers and later dropped out with what looked like a hip problem.

An Ethiopian runner also won the women's marathon, with Atsede Besuye crossing the line in 2:24:47 despite a bleeding toe.

"I noticed it after kilometer 30 but there was nothing I could do except keep running," Besuye said.

Silvia Skvortsova of Russia was second in 2:26:24 and Mamitu Daska of Ethiopia was third in 2:26:38.