World marathon record holder, the legendary Eliud Kipchoge, will be heading back to Berlin on September 24 to defend his title having broken his own record in the German capital last year.
Kipchoge, who trains in Kaptagat, Elgeyo Marakwet County, will be joined by a large group of athletes, many relatively still new to the marathon.
But Abel Kipchumba, who is also in the mix, he will be returning to Berlin for the third time, this time round eying a podium finish.
Kipchumba, who trains in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County, has set his sights on improving on his personal best time in this competitive outing.
Abel Kipchumba speaks during an interview after training at Moi University School of Law, Annex Campus ground in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County on September 5, 2023.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
He is familiar with the course after debuting in 2019 when he finished 10th in two hours, nine minutes and 39 seconds in a race won by Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele who by then missed Kipchoge’s record by just two seconds, clocking 2:01:41.
Last year, running alongside Kipchoge (who improved the world best to 2:01:09), Kipchumba improved to a third place in 2:06:49, a personal best time.
He tells Nation Sport that he has now mastered the course and wants to finish on the podium with a PB to boot after having prepared for the last four months.
“I’m going back to the Berlin Marathon with a goal to fulfill and having competed there two times there before, I believe I have an added advantage,” he said.
“My target is to just run a good race because my training has been good all along,” he added.
On the streets of Berlin last year, Kipchumba was in the lead pack and after record breaker Kipchoge surged forward, with the last pacemaker having dropped off at 25 kilometres on the Hauptsrasse, Kipchumba was left behind with Mark Korir, chasing after the leader.
But at the 38-kilometre mark on Postdamer Platz, he picked up a knee injury which slowed him down all the way to the Brandenburg Gate finish.
“I was in good position last year and I would have even emerged second because at one point I had dropped Korir but I started feeling pain in my knee with four kilometres to go and I had to slow down and eventually became fifth.
“I had prepared well for the race and my target was to be in the podium but God had other plans for me. This year I’m going to do my best in the race because I had added some weight at the time, but now I have reduced,” said Kipchumba.
The knee injury ruled him out of competition for a long spell and he had to slow in training. but he confirmed he has since recovered well after competing in the Boston 10km road race.
“The (Boston) race helped me rectify some things despite finishing ninth and that is what helped me know that I had fully recovered and ready for competition. It has been a good session for me and I’m looking forward to a healthy competition in the next two weeks,” added Kipchumba.
Abel Kipchumba (right) and other athletes train at Moi University School of Law, Annex Campus ground in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County on September 5, 2023, in readiness for Berlin Marathon slated for September 24.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
Kipchumba started running career in 2016 by pacing in 10km road races before graduating to half marathons in 2018.
He later he started training for marathon races and is glad that, so far, all’s going well.
Date of birth: February 4, 1994
Place of birth: Moiben, Uasin Gishu County
The story of the Berlin Marathon is a story of the development of road running.
Participation in the first race was 286 starters and 244 finishers. The first winners were two runners from Berlin: Günter Hallas (2:44:53), who still runs the Berlin Marathon today, and Jutta von Haase (3:22:01).
The marathon route led the runners along the Grunewald until 1980. The largest participation during that time was 397 runners in 1976. However, a world record was recorded on this course despite rather small participation numbers.
The national marathon championships were held at the event for the first time in 1977 with a separate start for each race.
The women’s championship winner was Christa Vahlensieck. The runner from Wuppertal covered the istance in 2:34:47.5. The official winner of the Berlin Marathon in 1977 was Angelika Brandt (3:10:26.8).
In the same year British runner Norman Wilson won the Berlin Marathon in 2:16:20.7, clocking the fastest time ever on the old course along the Grunewald.
Three years later, Ingo Sensburg nearly matched the course record when he ran a 2:16:48 in the 1980 race.
Today, Sensburg remains the only runner to win the Berlin. Marathon three times, finishing first in 1976, 1979, and 1980.
