BERLIN, Sept 25: Japan’s Olympic champion Mizuki Noguchi won the Berlin marathon and set an Asian record in the process on Sunday with the third fastest women’s time over the 42.195-km distance. Noguchi was never challenged on a flat, fast course and her time of two hours 19 minutes 12 seconds left her trailing only world record holder Paula Radcliffe of Britain (who ran 2:15.25 in 2003) and Kenya’s Catherine Nederba (2:18.47 in 2001).

Kenya’s Philip Manyim won the men’s race in 2:07.41, making it the seventh consecutive year the race had been won by a Kenyan. He beat compatriots Peter Chebet in 2:08.57 and Jackson Koech in 2:09.06.

Noguchi, 27, was surprised to learn she had lowered the Asian women’s record of 2:19.39 set by Sun Jingjie of China.

The Berlin marathon is one of the world’s fastest courses; five world records have been set in past years in a race that wends its way through the government quarter and a half dozen districts before more than a million enthusiastic spectators.

The men’s world record of 2:04.55 was set by Kenyan Paul Tergat in Berlin in 2003.

Leading results:

MEN’S: 1. Philip Manyim (Kenya) 2:07:41; 2. Peter Chebet (Kenya) 2:08:58; 3. Jackson Koech (Kenya) 2:09:07; 4. Joshua Chelanga (Kenya) 2:09:10; 5. Joseph Ngolepus (Kenya) 2:10:10; 6. Shimeles Mola (Ethiopia) 2:10:11; 7. Michael Rotich (Kenya) 2:10:53; 8. Andrew Letherby (Australia) 2:11:42; 9. Romulo da Silva (Brazil) 2:12:03; 10. Terefe Yae (Ethiopia) 2:12:07.