BERLIN, Sept 24: Haile Gebrselassie blew away the field to win the Berlin marathon on Sunday but the Ethiopian missed out on a world record as windy conditions and a lack of assistance took their toll.

With eight kilometres to go, Gebrselassie was almost half a minute inside the pace of Kenya's Paul Tergat when he set the record of two hours four minutes 55 seconds on the same Berlin course in 2003.

Gebrselassie had to run on his own from around 30 kms, though, and with no one to push him he finally drifted off the pace as he approached the finish at the Brandenburg Gate.

His time of 2:05:56 was the fastest in the world this year and a personal best.

He missed out on a $64,090 bonus for breaking the world record, but did pick up a time bonus of $38,450 to add to the first prize.

Gudisa Shentema of Ethiopia finished a long way back in second place in 2:10:43, with Kurao Umeki of Japan third in 2:13:43.

Gete Wami made it a double victory for Ethiopia by winning the women's race in 2:21:34, a national record. Salina Kosgei of Kenya was second in 2:23:22, with Monika Drybulska of Poland a distant third in 2:30.12.

Results:

Men’s: 1. Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) 2:05:56; 2. Gudisa Shentema (Ethiopia) 2:10:43; 3. Kurao Umeki (Japan) 2:13:43; 4. Terefe Yae (Ethiopia) 2:15:05; 5. Ahmed Ezzobayry (France) 2:15:29; 6. Driss El Himer (France) 2:16:44; 7. Ombeche Mokamba (Kenya) 2:17:34; 8. Jackson Koech (Kenya) 2:17:42; 9. Abel Kirui (Kenya) 2:17:47; 10. Buzinggo Donatien (Burundi) 2:19:25

Women’s: 1. Gete Wami (Ethiopia) 2:21:34; 2. Salina Kosgei (Kenya) 2:23:22; 3. Monika Drybulska (Poland) 2:30:12; 4. Asha Gigi (Ethiopia) 2:32:32; 5. Marcia Narloch (Brazil) 2:35:28; 6. Melanie Kraus (Germany) 2:35:37; 7. Shitaye Gemechu (Ethiopia) 2:35:56; 8. Adanech Zekiros (Ethiopia) 2:36:48; 9. Mounia Aboulachen (Belgium) 2:38:55; 10. Alem Ashebir (Ethiopia) 2:41:27.

—Reuters