NAIROBI, Kenya, September 29 – Kenya’s Cybrian Kotut finished second in the men’s race at the Berlin Marathon in a thrilling race on Sunday that went down to the wire.
The 2016 Paris Marathon champion clocked 2:03:22 as Ethiopia’s Milkesha Mengesha took top honour in 2:03:17.
Another Ethiopian, Haymanot Alew came third in 2:03:31 as Kenya’s Stephen Kiprop clocked 2:03:37 to narrowly miss out on the podium place in fourth.
The quartet had been the last one’s left standing at the 39 km mark albeit Alew seemed to be struggling to keep up with the trio ahead of him.
Mengesha and Kotut had been changing the lead between themselves with Kiprop following closely in third although never seeming to take the initiative.
With 500m to go — and with the Brandeburg Gate in sight — Mengesha finally pulled his card and surged to the front.
Despite Kotut’s best efforts to match his rival’s switch-up of pace, it proved too little, too late as the 2019 world junior champion held on admirably to collect his first win of the year.
Behind them, the race for third place was also heating up, Kiprop having run out of steam at the same time that Alew had picked up the pace.
The Ethiopian had the last laugh as Kiprop withered away into fourth place.
Podium sweep for Ethiopia
In the women’s race, Tigist Ketema led a clean podium sweep, clocking 2:16:42 to cross the finish line first.
In second place was Mestawot Fikir who timed 2:18:48 as Bosena Mulatie timed 2:19:00 in third.
