Double Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge will be targeting a new course record at the Berlin marathon set for September 25.
Kipchoge said if he won’t run a world record, then it will definitely be a course record.
“I still believe I can run a course record in Berlin, if not a world record. I don’t know which one will come but I will stick to a course record for now,” he said.
Kipchoge spoke highly of the Berlin course saying he has great memories there. He finished four races at the course and he expressed excitement about running there again. He won in 2015, 2017 and 2018 editions of the Berlin marathon and placed second in the 2013 edition.
He added that in 2013, breaking the world record seemed impossible but when he missed the record in eight seconds, he believed he could do it. And in the 2018 edition, he set a new world record of 2:01:39.
“That course is really smooth…with good training, I can run faster and longer. In 2013, I was still learning how to handle the ropes in the marathon, I was also nervous. At the time, breaking the world record seemed impossible but when I missed the record by eight seconds, I knew I could do it,” Kipchoge said.
“2018 was a crucial year for me and I can’t even explain the feeling…it feels different. I can say it was double happiness to cross the finish line with a new world record. I worked with my team for five months to make that dream come true. If you train well, then nothing can interfere with your fitness.”
He added that the cheering of the crowd is what inspires him to keep going.
“I really listen to the crowd because without the people it’s just hard. The chanting just ignites the fuel in me to keep running in a good way,” said Kipchoge.
The men’s field this year has attracted some of the elite athletes including but not limited to defending champion Guye Adola, 2015 world marathon champion Ghirmay Ghebreslassie, Mark Korir and Dejene Debela.
