BERLIN (AP) — Three Kenyans will be running for a marathon world record on Sunday when they take to the flat streets of the German capital in the Berlin Marathon.
Ethiopian great Haile Gebrselassie, who has won in Berlin the past four years — including setting the world record of 2 hours, 3 minutes, 59 seconds in 2008 — won’t be among the runners this year.
For Geoffrey Mutai and Patrick Makau, who ran this year’s fastest and second-fastest marathons, respectively, Gebrselassie’s absence is an advantage. They are the top contenders along with Eliud Kiptanui.
Mutai says their success will depend on the weather, how the race goes and a dose of teamwork. He says “everyone in our homeland would be happy if we could win back a record for Kenya.”
