Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya won the 2022 Berlin Marathon on September 25 in a performance that set a world record of 2:01:09, as many had predicted. His previous world record, 2:01:39, which he set in 2018, was surpassed by 30 seconds at the finish line.
In his career of 19 marathon starts, Kipchoge’s triumph was his fourth in Berlin and 17th overall (including two on non-record-eligible demo races).
The 37-year-old Kipchoge won by nearly five minutes and led from start to finish. Kenyan Mark Korir finished second in 2:05:58. Ethiopian Tadu Abate finished third in 2:06:28.
The two-time Olympic winner performed another marathon running masterclass with optimum 55-degree weather on his side.
With Kipchoge and his pacemakers completing the 5K split in 14:14—13 seconds slower than the previous world record—the race quickly fell apart. Only two Ethiopians, Guye Adola and Andamlak Belihu ventured to follow the record-holder in his effort to beat the previous mark.
By 15K, Kipchoge had already surpassed his four-year-old world record pace by more than a minute. He sped through the halfway point in 59:51, astonishingly on schedule for a predicted finish time of 1:59:41, moments later. Kipchoge completed the first 13.1 miles in 1:01:06 when he set the world record in 2018.
Over the following five kilometers, the pace slowed a little, and at 25 kilometers, the pacemakers left the race. Belihu started to lag behind Kipchoge about the 26K split after following closely for the first half of the race, leaving Kipchoge to run the final miles by himself.
By 30K, Kipchoge was still on track to break the record, but a sub-two-hour marathon was beginning to seem improbable.
After running a fast first half, Kipchoge’s final few miles were more of a struggle. Despite continuing to lag behind the previous record, Kipchoge kept his lead. At 40K, a kilometer he completed in 3:12, when it seemed like he was truly struggling, Kipchoge had a final burst of energy by clocking a 2:53.
Through the final stretch, he kept up that superhuman effort, breaking his own world record by 30 seconds.
When questioned if he could break the record once more, Kipchoge responded that his legs still had “more” to give. On the race’s broadcast, he added, “I hope the future is still great.
As the undisputed best male marathoner in history, Kipchoge began today’s race. He dominated in winning the Olympic titles in 2016 and 2021. In addition to winning the Chicago Marathon, he holds the records at Berlin, London, and Tokyo and has won four of the six World Marathon Majors. In order to run New York City and Boston, Kipchoge would need to win all six majors, as he has stated. (We like this strategy!)