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Lead Stories: Thursday, December 4, 2008

2:04:26 World Record for Gebrselassie in Berlin

Posted September 30th, 2007 at 2:29 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics

Nineteen years ago, a skinny 15 year old did what millions of country kids over the centuries have done. Haile Gebrselassie went up to the big city, to seek his fortune. He was only in Addis Ababa a couple of days, just long enough to run a marathon and struggle, half crippled from the effort, back home to his village 175 kilometres away. He would start running again a week later, when the pain subsided, and the dreams of success returned.

But even he could not have dreamed that what began with a 2hrs 48min marathon round the back streets of Addis, admittedly at altitude, would presage a career which, thus far has netted him 24 world records, the latest coming in Berlin on Sunday morning, at that same marathon distance, but his time some 44 minutes faster, in 2.04.26.
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Berlin Marathon 2007:
Haile Sets WR; Wami Wins

Posted September 30th, 2007 at 9:15 AM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Running in near ideal conditions, Haile Gebrselassie shattered the World record in the marathon, clocking 2:04:26 at the real,-Berlin Marathon today.

Defending his Berlin title, the 34-year-old Ethiopian knocked 29 seconds from the preview record, 2:04:55, set by Kenyan Paul Tergat over the same course in 2003.

Gebrselassie, who had previously broken 23 world records or bests over his career, reached the half way point in 1:02:29.

Kenyans took the next three spots, with Abel Kirui second in 2:06:51, Salim Kipsang (2:07:29) third and Philip Manyim, the 2005 Berlin winner, fourth (2:08:01).

Gete Wami defended her women’s title, winning in 2:23:17, well ahead of Germany’s marathon debutant Irina Mikitenko, who took second in 2:24:49.

Look for additional details later today.

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