Bekele narrowly misses world record in Berlin marathon win

Reuters Videos

SHOWS: BERLIN, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 29, 2019) (BERLIN MARATHON/INFRONT - SEE RESTRICTIONS)

1. AERIAL VIEW OF BERLIN

2. VARIOUS OF RACE START

3. KENENISA BEKELE AMONG RACE LEADERS

4. BIRHANU LEGESE LEADS THE RACE FROM SISAY LEMMA AND BEKELE

5. LEGESE AND LEMMA

6. LEGESE AND BEKELE LEAD RACE

7. VARIOUS OF BEKELE FINISHING RACE

8. RUNNER STRUGGLING ON COURSE

9. ASHETE BEKERE WINS THE WOMEN'S RACE

10. BEKERE CELEBRATES

STORY: Former Olympic and world champion Kenenisa Bekele staged a thrilling comeback to win the Berlin marathon on Sunday (September 29), dramatically missing out on the world record by two seconds after recording the second fastest time ever.

Ethiopian Bekele, winner in Berlin in 2016 and world record holder over 5,000 and 10,000 metres, finished in two hours, one minute and 41 seconds, agonisingly close to Eliud Kipchoge's world record time despite a full sprint in the final 400 metres.

Kipchoge, who set the world's best mark in Berlin last year, was absent to prepare for his renewed sub-two hour marathon attempt in Vienna on Oct. 12.

Bekele was part of a group, including fellow countrymen Birhanu Legese and Sisay Lemma, that quickly broke from the pack with a quick pace.

Legese, winner of this year's Tokyo marathon, then gradually shook off Bekele and then Lemma after the 30km mark.

But Bekele battled back, leaving Lemma in his wake and then reined in Legese to cruise ahead but missed the world record time by two seconds despite a thrilling sprint towards the finish line.

Legese took second place in 2:02:48, becoming the third fastest marathon runner ever. Lemma was third, another 48 seconds behind.

In the women's race Ethiopian Ashete Bekere beat Mare Dibaba in a sprint to the finish to win with a time of 2:20:14 and complete the Ethiopian sweep.

Men's results:

1. Bekele, Kenenisa (ETH) 2:01:41

2. Legese, Birhanu (ETH) +01:07 2:02:48

3. Lemma, Sisay (ETH) +01:55 2:03:36

4. Korir, Jonathan (KEN) +05:04 2:06:45

5. Kandie, Felix (KEN) +06:26 2:08:07

Women's results:

1. Bekere, Ashete (ETH) 2:20:14

2. Dibaba, Mare (ETH) +00:070 2:20:21

3. Chepyego, Sally (KEN) +00:520 2:21:06

4. Tola, Helen (ETH) +01:220 2:21:36

5. Hall, Sara (USA) +02:020 2:22:16

(Production: Andy Ragg)