September 29, 2008	Monday	Ramazan 28, 1429

BERLIN, Sept 28: Haile Gebrselassie broke his own marathon world record on Sunday, becoming the first runner to finish under two hours, four minutes.

The Ethiopian clocked in 2:03:59, winning his third straight Berlin Marathon, beating the mark of 2:04:26, which he had set last year over the same flat course. He also became the first runner to win the race three times.

“Today, I’m so, so, so happy. Everything was perfect today,” Gebrselassie said.

Running under clear, sunny skies in mild temperatures, Gebrselassie paced himself well and controlled the race from the start.

The 35-year-old Gebrselassie was way out front as passed through the Brandenburg Gate and ran to the finish line to applause from the crowd lining the route.

Gebrselassie said his training in the build-up to the race was hindered by an injury.

“I had a small calf muscle problem and I stopped for a week, and then I started again a week ago,” he said. “Then today I had, you know, some doubts ... but it was really very good.”

The Ethiopian praised Berlin and its spectators in helping him set his 26th world record.

“Before I came here, I knew I can do something here in Berlin, because Berlin is my lucky city since I started running,” Gebrselassie said. “I think everyone ... all the people of Berlin watch this race, and [are] wonderful, really.”

Berlin’s flat course often provides fast times.

Five years ago, Paul Tergat of Kenya ran 2:04:55, becoming the first runner to go under 2:05.

Gebrselassie first ran in Berlin in 2006 and clocked 2:05:56 before breaking the world record last year. In three years, he has improved nearly two minutes on his time.

The Ethiopian chose to skip the Olympic marathon in Beijing because of the city’s pollution. However, he finished sixth in the 10,000 metres, a race he won at Atlanta in 1996 and at Sydney in 2000.

In the women’s race, Irina Mikitenko of Germany improved her personal best by more than four minutes to record the seventh fastest time for a woman.

She finished in 2:19:19 to break the national record and become the fourth fastest woman of all time, behind Paula Radcliffe, Catherine Ndereba and Mizuki Noguchi.

Askale Magarsa of Ethiopia was second in 2:21:31 and Helena Kirop of Kenya finished third in 2:25:01.

Results (with runner, country, time):

Men:

1. Haile Gebrselassie, Ethiopia, 2 hours, 3 minutes, 59 seconds (world record; old record Gebrselassie, 2:04:26, Berlin, Sept. 30, 2007); 2. James Kwambai, Kenya, 2:05:36; 3. Charles Kamathi, Kenya, 2:07:48; 4. Mariko Kipchumba, Kenya, 2:09:03; 5. Mesfin Ademasu, Ethiopia, 2:12:02; 6. Joseph Ngolepus, Kenya, 2:12:07; 7. Kenjiro Jitsui, Japan, 2:12:48; 8. Toshinari Suwa, Japan, 2:13:04; 9. Falk Cierpinski, Germany, 2:13:30; 10. Francis Kiprop, Kenya, 2:14.30.

Women:

1. Irina Mikitenko, Germany, 2 hours, 19 minutes, 19 seconds; 2. Askale Tafa Magarsa, Ethiopia, 2:21:31; 3. Helena Kirop, Kenya, 2:25:01; 4. Rose Cheruiyot, Kenya, 2:26:25; 5. Gulnara Vigovskaya, Russia, 2:30:03; 6. Shuru Deriba, Ethiopia, 2:31:20; 7. Edyta Lewandoswka, Poland, 2:33:00; 8. Evelyne Kimuria, Kenya, 2:35:53; 9. Daniela Cirlan, Romania, 2:36:18; 10. Zivile Balciunaite, Lithuania, 2:36:40. —AP