Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge has set a new marathon world record, winning the BMW Berlin marathon 2018 in 2 hours, 1 minute and 39 seconds on Sunday, 16 September 2018.

The Kenyan defended his title in the German capital, pulling ahead of his competitors early on amid perfect running conditions. He broke the previous world record set in Berlin by fellow Kenyan Dennis Kimetto in 2014 by 1 minute and 18 seconds.

Kipchoge also held the world fastest time although his 2:00:25 in the Nike Breaking2 project was ruled ineligible for the world record because of various time-trial tactics, the Olympic title in 2016, and today’s world record.

Kipchoge, who had won in Berlin in 2016 and 2017 said,

"They say you can miss it twice but not third time. So I want to thank everyone who has helped me. I am just so incredibly happy to have finally run the world record as I never stopped having belief in myself."

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Since debuting in the event in Hamburg in 2013, Kipchoge has won World Marathon Majors series runs in Chicago (2014), Berlin (2015 and 2017) and London (2015, 2016 and 2018).

He has now won 11 out of 12 marathons he raced in, including at the Olympics.

Shogo Nakamura of Japan narrowly missed setting a new national record with a time of 2 hours, 8 minutes and 16 seconds, came in in 4th place. Meanwhile, two-time SEA Games Gold Medalist, Soh Rui Yong, completed his first ever run at the Berlin Marathon at 49th place with the time of 02:25:05. The result qualifies him for the 2019 SEA Games in Manila, Philippines, based on the criteria set by Singapore Athletics.

Gladys Cherono won the women's race in 2 hours, 18 minutes and 11 seconds, a new women's record for the Berlin marathon. Aga, Ruti of Ethiopia came in second 23 seconds later.

Men Marathon Winners

1. Kipchoge, Eliud (KEN)–02:01:39
2. Kipruto, Amos (KEN)–02:06:23
3. Kipsang, Wilson (KEN)–02:06:48
4. Nakamura, Shogo (JPN)–02:08:16
5. Tadese, Zersenay (ERI)—02:08:46

Women Marathon Winners

1. Cherono, Gladys (KEN)–02:18:11
2. Aga, Ruti (ETH)–02:18:34
3. Dibaba, Tirunesh (ETH)–2:18:55
4. Kiplagat, Edna (KEN)–02:21:18
5. Matsuda, Mizuki (JPN)–02:22:23