Day Tergat nearly missed the world record in Berlin
From left: Former Berlin Marathon champion Naoko Takahashi from Japan, women’s marathon world record holder Tigist Assefa of Ethiopia, Berlin Marathon Race Director Mark Milde, 2003 Berlin Marathon champion Paul Tergat, and 2008 Berlin Marathon champion Irina Mikitenko of Germany.
Tergat had run five marathons in two years prior to the famous Berlin win. Although he posted fast times, he did not taste victory in any of them.
In his first marathon in April 2001, he finished second in London followed by a second place finish in Chicago.
The thought that we are always one decision away from a totally different outcome in life springs to mind when former Berlin marathon champion Paul Tergat explains his famous victory in the 2003 Berlin Marathon.
Tergat, who is now National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) President, had a stellar career before joining the marathon. He was a five-time world cross country champion, a two-time world half marathon champion, and a two time Olympics silver medallist, so it looked pretty obvious that he would go on to have a dazzling career.
